


The Littlest Time Lady

by Sparklypuppy05



Series: The Energy Children Universe [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Female Reader, Fluff, Non-Sexual Age Play, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2019-08-19 22:33:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 25,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16543571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparklypuppy05/pseuds/Sparklypuppy05
Summary: To avoid the many problems of regeneration and pregnancy, the Gallifreyans evolved a way to create new members of their race. Regeneration energy could be harvested and used to transform any compatible race into one of them. After months of travelling together and forming a firm bond, 13 finally asks (Y/N) to start the process with her, not fully understanding how much (Y/N) needs this.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Concept inspired by Hatchling by SailorChibi - credit is given where credit is due. :)





	1. Preparation

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hatchling](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2375636) by [SailorChibi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 13 thinks this through first.

The TARDIS console room, for the first time in ages, was quiet. Quiet except for the near-unnoticeable footsteps of 13 pacing up and down the back of the room, arms crossed, gaze fixed firmly on the floor. She was thinking to herself, and when 13 was thinking, nothing short of an incoming tsunami could snap her out of it. At least, when it came to this sort of decision.

For generations, regeneration energy had been used by the Time Lords to create new life. New life like them, with two hearts and a slightly-too-cold body temperature. Normally, regeneration energy was only produced when a Time Lord or Lady was regenerating, but under the right circumstances, extra could be produced. Extra that could be fed to a member of any compatible race, to transform them, slowly but surely, into a Time Lord or Time Lady. The process was... complicated, to say the least. During the process, whoever had chosen to do this would revert back to a childlike state of mind.

And that was what was bothering 13.

For thousands of years, 13 had never done her duty, made new Time Lords. Why? Because for thousands of years, she hadn't met the right person. Rose Tyler was almost there, but hadn't quite made the cut, and Clara had a life on Earth already, but now... 13 had met the right human at long last. (Y/N) (L/N).

(Y/N) and 13 had met during one of the semi-regular alien invasions of London, back when 13 was still travelling with Ryan, Graham, and Yaz. Those three had dispersed back to Earth for some downtime around a month ago. That was good, really. It wasn't the best idea to have other humans around during the process. Anyway, 13 had since discovered (Y/N) to be one of the best people that anybody could ever meet, and the two had become very firm friends.

This was what brought her to the idea to ask (Y/N) to be her... What even was the term? There was never an official term for the non-biological Time Lords and Time Ladies. Everybody used a different word. Some used babe, baby, or infant. Others used child or youngster. Others still used pet names like little one, sweetheart, or honey. 13 had known Missy to use _chit_ , apparently a term for a boisterous child.

Speaking of Missy - Missy had made contact a few days ago. 13 didn't know how she was alive, but didn't bother to ask. She had a friend back. That was good.

13 had told Missy about (Y/N), and the... Baby issue. And Missy had told her to do it.

"Go and get that human girl on board," She had said, "And tell me when you've done it so I can help you."

And that was it.

So, with a quiet sigh, 13 stopped pacing.

She stood up.

She began the long walk towards (Y/N)'s room.

And then, once she was right outside the door...

"(Y/N)? I have something very important to ask you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, frick. I guess this is it. My first "Walk of shame" fic.
> 
> ... Comment and leave kudos, I guess?


	2. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 13 asks (Y/N) the big question.

(Y/N) was sitting in her room, fiddling on her phone, when she heard 13's voice echo from just outside the room. She paused for a moment, before swiping away the messaging app on her phone. She had been looking back on past texts from her real family - a moment of nostalgia. The thing was, there was something very big that (Y/N) hadn't been telling 13. The main reason why (Y/N) hadn't mentioned her family or home, or asked to go back to visit for months.

On the pair's last visit back to (Y/N)'s family, her parents had found something out. They had found out that (Y/N) wasn't just travelling normally - she was travelling on a spaceship. With an alien. They hadn't taken it well, and had basically disowned (Y/N). Something about "Disgraceful, non-human life" and "Thinking a stupid girl like her could handle the universe".

13 still didn't know.

It still hurt to think back on those memories, but she was mainly focused on hiding everything from 13. If she found out what was going on with (Y/N) and her family, nothing would be safe. 13 was so... protective of her. (Y/N) still couldn't figure out why. There was constant, brief little touches, as if to make sure (Y/N) was still there, and the warnings, and 13 would never let (Y/N) even think about getting into danger. It was odd, but it didn't matter right now.

(Y/N) stood up, walking over, and opened the door.

"Hey," She said with a small smile. 13 smiled back, hands clasped behind the Time Lady's back.

"Can I come in?" 13 asked quietly.

"Sure," (Y/N) replied, stepping aside. 13 walked into the room, and (Y/N) closed the door, locking the pair into the restricted space.

"So, what did you want to ask me?" (Y/N) asked, sitting down on the bed.

"So..." 13 began, taking a deep breath. "First, I have to explain something to you."

"Shoot."

"You see... Gallifreyans don't... _reproduce_ exactly like most species do. If a Time Lady were to regenerate whilst pregnant, the baby would die. So, whilst pregnancies can and do happen, another method is more common. Using regeneration energy. Normally, the energy is only produced when a Time Lord has to regenerate. However, under the right circumstances, it can be created and extracted to turn a compatible biological being into a Gallifreyan. Like me, or the rest of my race. However, during the process, the being is forced to revert into a more childlike state of mind in order to deal with the physical and mental changes.

Every Time Lord or Lady is expected to take on a "Child" using regeneration energy at some point in their lives. However, I never have - I never met anybody worthy of the honour. Until I met you. (Y/N), I am asking you right now to join me, so we can travel together for as long as we can. You won't have to die. But, there is no going back. Say yes... Or say no. The offer is open."

(Y/N) froze. She wanted to do it. She desperately wanted to. But... why should she? She wasn't worthy of anything. The only reason she was alive was dumb luck - her parents had told her that so many times, starting in childhood. So, she paused, before replying.

"13..." She began. She had always called her friend 13 - apparently, "Doctor" had bad memories attached to it for 13. She could call herself that just fine, but close friends just hurt. "13, I want to. I really do. But I can't."

"Why not?" 13 asked, blinking curiously.

"Because I don't deserve it. I don't deserve being able to be with you for that long. I don't deserve to be alive. I know that you hate me, and that the others did, too - that's why they left. Don't lie to me. Please don't."

13 simply stood and stared at (Y/N), before walking over, sitting down next to her.

"Who told you that you didn't deserve anything at all? Who told you? Because I swear, right now, that I will kill whoever hurt you like this. Nobody is ever leaving you. I am never, ever leaving your side. (Y/N), you are the light of my life, and the light of the universe. You deserve everything. I promise you, the others didn't leave because of you - they left because they needed time alone. You deserve everything that is good in this world, and then more."

(Y/N) didn't speak for a minute, before letting out a loud sob, starting to ramble. She let everything out - her family. Her family and what they had said, and how she had internalised that ever since they had last left. 13 simply scooped (Y/N) into her lap, wrapping the younger woman up in her arms, and letting (Y/N) tell her everything. And when she was done, there was quiet.

"13?" (Y/N) asked.

"Yes, honey?"

(Y/N) paused, thinking about the pet name. "... Are you sure you want to give this opportunity to me?"

"Yes. I'm sure."

"Then I accept."

13 smiled, pulling (Y/N) in closer.

"Thank you. You need this more than anybody. Sleep, little one. Sleep now, and we will talk about this when you wake up."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as (Y/N) was settled, 13 carefully removed herself from the room, and sprinted back to the centre console room, dialling a familiar number on the comms.

"Missy!"

"What happened?"

"(Y/N) said yes. I have a little one now."

"Good luck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in half an hour, high on adrenaline. Thank you so much to everybody! This is my fastest growing fanfic, which is a little surprising, but I guess I'm filling a niche here, LOL. Please leave a comment, and leave kudos if you're enjoying this fanfic so far! :D
> 
> PS: It's canon in this fic that Missy has done this before, and knows exactly what 13 is getting into. Look forward to sass/humour on that front.


	3. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It happens.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

What was that noise?

You had awoken in a dark room - your bedroom, - suspiciously well rested. A reassuring pounding noise, sort of like a heartbeat, echoed in the air around you. As you laid there, the memories of what had happened before you fell asleep slowly came back to you. You had expected to be ashamed, but you... Weren't. Instead, you were simply comforted by the memories. A pleasant feeling washed over you as you thought back to the previous evening. You had said yes, and somehow, you knew that that was the right choice.

A soft light flicked on in the corner of the room, and you could hear the sound of a door unlocking. The pounding noise started to fade away, and by the time you had rolled over and sat up, the noise was completely gone. 13 stood at the door, and you blinked a few times to get rid of the last of your sleepiness as the Time Lord approached you.

"Sleep well?" She asked you in a hushed voice.

"Yeah," You replied.

"Good. We have a few things to discuss." You didn't have time to reply as she picked you up with surprising strength and agility, perching you on her hip as you stood up. You were surprised, to say the least - who knew that she was that strong? - but didn't struggle as the pair of you left the room, eventually entering the TARDIS console room, where 13 put you down on a step, sitting next to you.

"First things first, I want to explain what the process that you're about to start is going to be like," 13 said calmly. You paused, before nodding.

"As I said last night, 99% of the time, the being undergoing the process is forced to revert to a childlike or infant-like state in order to cope with the physical and mental changes. This is especially true for humans," 13 explained. "Nobody really knows how any given person will react, but basically, you're going to revert back to a certain age. For humans, this could be anywhere between a newborn, and five years old. Then, you're going to grow up again."

"There might also be some physical changes," She continued. "For example, you're probably going to lose control of your bladder and bowels at some point. You're also probably going to have some muscle restriction, especially if you revert back to a very young age."

You sat still, listening to everything. You were oddly okay with most of it - of course, the idea of losing control of your bodily functions was terrifying (Oh God, were you going to be put in nappies!?), but you trusted that you'd be looked after. 13 was pretty much the kindest person you knew. You couldn't imagine her neglecting anybody, especially not you.

"The process is started and progressed using regeneration energy, which you're going to ingest through food or drink," 13 continued, carefully watching you for any unspoken sign of protest. "This regeneration energy will come from me, so I'm going to be a parent of sorts to you. I might need others to come in at points for certain things, but don't worry - anybody who enters those doors from the moment the process starts will be thoroughly vetted and have seen the process happen before."

"Now... This is the last chance you have to back out," 13 said quietly. "Are you sure about this?"

"You're sure about me. So yes," You replied. 13 nodded, smiling softly.

13 drew a small object out of her pocket. It reminded you of a pocket-knife, but more ceremonial - the blade and handle were gold, and there were circular carvings decorating the handle. Shuffling away from you slightly, she pressed the blade against her arm, making a cut. Instead of blood, a thick, glowing, golden substance welled up. She quickly pulled a small cup out of her other pocket, using it to catch the golden liquid, before covering the cut with a large-ish piece of cloth.

She paused for a moment, before handing the cup to you.

"You have to drink it pure to start the process, or the energy won't recognise your biology," She explained.

You nodded, before slowly starting to drink the liquid. It tasted warm, and sort of like golden syrup, but with a slightly metallic tang. Very sugary, all the same. As you finished the cup, you flinched slightly as an odd feeling filled your stomach. It was sort of like popping candy, but _fizzier_ , and filling your entire abdominal cavity. 13 pulled you into her lap, obviously recognising your distress.

"Don't worry. It's normal," She shushed you. "Oh, and by the way, you don't have to call me 13 anymore. It sounds a little weird, but I trust you to call me what you did before."

"... Doctor?"

"Yes. Or Mama. Or whatever you want."

"... Thank you, Doctor."

"You're welcome, my little one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"She let me pick her up! And she drank the regeneration energy, and everything! Missy, it's all going so well!"

"Shut up, you idiot, and let me onto that TARDIS of yours. I'm on Odi Te, year 6942. You're going to need a hand with this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anybody can tell me why Odi Te is funny, they get a cookie. Also, give me suggestions for stuff to happen! Angst, fluff, humour, whatever! And suggestions for regression age for the reader, please. :)
> 
> Leave kudos and a comment, please, and I hope you enjoyed! :D


	4. Missy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody's favourite crazy Time Lady arrives.

It was safe to say that the Doctor had not thought this through.

It was around about an hour after she had fed (Y/N) her first dose of regeneration energy. (Y/N) hadn't yet started regressing - that was normal, it usually took a few days before the energy would kick in fully. However, even now, the changes were apparent. (Y/N) had become clingy and panicky, and it was a complete miracle that the Doctor had gotten her new child off her hip long enough to make a call to Missy.

Odi Te, year 6942. Easy enough to get to, and easy enough to get back out of. A peaceful planet at a mostly peaceful time. As soon as she had gotten (Y/N) down for a nap in her old room, the Doctor got the TARDIS up and running, flying through space and time to get to their destination. _Old_ room was because, in all honesty, (Y/N)'s room was not fit for a child. She really needed to plan a nursery.

The TARDIS would probably handle it.

As soon as she had landed, she raced to the TARDIS entrance, flinging open the door. A grin spread across the Doctor's face at the sight. There, among the frozen forests of the planet Odi Te, stood Missy.

"Took you long enough," The other Time Lady grumbled.

"Sorry. (Y/N) was being fussy," She apologised. The Doctor froze for a moment, her expression hardening. "Wait a minute... Why am I trusting you with so much information about (Y/N)?"

"Mama bear. Should've known," Missy sighed. "You know I'm not going to hurt your precious human. She's basically the same as me and you now, and will be entirely the same within a few years. Well, relatively, obviously. Time makes little sense when you're one of us. Besides, I would never sink so low as to harm a child."

"You're lucky I never told (Y/N) about you."

"Indeed I am."

The Doctor sighed, stepping back into the TARDIS.

"Welcome aboard, Missy. Beware, I'll throw you into a black hole if you harm a hair on (Y/N)'s head."

"As I said before, Doctor, I don't harm children. Especially not those created with our own race's energy."

"Why are you helping me, anyway?"

"Because, although you may not believe this, I have been a parent myself."

"Wow."

"Exactly as I expected you to say."

The Doctor sighed, starting up the TARDIS. She had her friend, and she had her (Y/N). The universe could cope on its own for a bit - her family needed her first. As soon as they got into the Time Vortex, a loud crash echoed from (Y/N)'s room, followed by a loud cry that was surprisingly infant-like. She froze, before sprinting away into the mess of tunnels, leaving Missy alone in the console room.

"She's going to be a good mother," Missy mused to herself, watching the Doctor disappear through a door in the back of the room. "Yes. I highly doubt that anything will hurt that child, for fear of becoming pure biological soup."

The TARDIS, for the first time in possibly ever, rumbled quietly, as if it was agreeing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Missy is the ultimate vodka aunt, change my mind.
> 
> I had nothing better to do, so I wrote a chapter. :) Leave a comment and kudos! :D


	5. Illness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) gets ill.

They were four days in, and the Doctor, quite honestly, was a little bit scared. (Y/N) had regressed more quickly than most, scaling down to the mind of a three-year-old within 48 hours, something which Missy had unhelpfully pointed out to be not normal. Something else that wasn't normal was that (Y/N) had started phasing in and out of headspace, never really letting her mind relax out of a more adult state of mind.

The only thing that was really helping was that the TARDIS had materialised a more suitable room. The walls and ceiling glowed a Gallifreyan shade of gold, words of Circular Gallifreyan decorating the walls. The Doctor and Missy could both read the words easily - _Angel_ , _Time_ , _Love_ , _New_ , _Adventure_ , among others - but it would take (Y/N) time to learn to read the language. Glowing lights hung from the ceiling, and a bed sat in the corner. The rest of the room was populated with furniture such as a chest of drawers (Avoiding the common childhood fear of a monster in the closet), a small table and chairs, and a toy chest which would hopefully one day contain a multitude of toys. On closer inspection, the sides of the bed slid up to create a cot, and a sliding table was hidden in the wall to be used as a changing table if (Y/N) ever needed nappies.

(Y/N) had just woken up from one of the calmly enforced naps that scattered the day. The Doctor had gotten there slightly after she woke up, but thankfully, (Y/N) appeared to be in a more adult state of mind, allowing the Doctor time to prepare a mixture of regeneration energy and water that (Y/N) had needed on a thrice-daily basis since they began. Sitting down on the bed next to (Y/N), she passed the cup over, smiling softly.

"Sleep well?" She asked softly, combing one hand through (Y/N)'s hair.

"Mhm," (Y/N) replied through a mouthful of the energy-water mixture. Once she had swallowed, (Y/N) suddenly sneezed. Very loudly. And it was clearly the result of an illness of some sort. The Doctor would've been shocked under any other circumstances - where had (Y/N) gotten ill, anyway? - but right now, she was just panicky. And very protective.

"Are you ill?" She asked suddenly, pulling (Y/N) in close. On closer inspection, her baby was very definitely ill - there was a slight temperature going on, and (Y/N) sniffled in pain slightly when she swallowed. The Doctor sighed. "How long have you been ill for, sweetheart?" She murmured, shifting (Y/N) into her lap.

"A day or two," (Y/N) replied, not reacting to being moved. "I didn't wanna say anything cos it was all going so well."

"You've gotta tell me these things, honey," The Doctor said quietly, drawing in (Y/N) so that the younger girl was close enough to hold onto comfortably for a longer period of time. She paused for a moment, before speaking again. "You know, you're probably going to slip into headspace a lot whilst the illness passes. I can't treat it like I would before - it would risk hurting you."

"I'm not gonna do that," (Y/N) said firmly. "I'm not going to act like a little kid whilst I'm sick. That's just pathetic."

"I'm afraid that you might have no choice," The Doctor murmured, bouncing (Y/N) up and down slightly on her lap. "And it isn't pathetic. Remember, I'm always here for you. And Missy too, if I'm not around."

Surprisingly enough, (Y/N) and Missy did actually get along well. The Doctor had refrained from bringing up the past, simply content with the fact that she now had somebody to rely on to look after (Y/N) if need be.

"I guess so," (Y/N) sighed.

"Good. Now, rest in here, sweetheart. I'll be back soon with some painkillers, and once you're all better, I've got loads of cool places to show you," The Doctor said happily, placing (Y/N) back down on the bed. It was a complete miracle that this form of reproduction was somewhat commonplace in many alien circles, so there were plenty of safe places to show (Y/N).

Once she left the room, the Doctor sighed heavily, closing the door, before racing back to the Console Room, hoping to whatever higher power than herself that may be out there that (Y/N) would get better soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hurrah! Chapter five is up, and it's ANGST! :D
> 
> Seriously though guys, I need some plot ideas. I can't run off angst forever, y'know. :P
> 
> Comment and leave kudos, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D


	6. Left Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor has to leave (Y/N) alone with Missy.

"And... Touchdown!" The Doctor's triumphant cry echoed through the console room as the sounds of the TARDIS's ancient gears ground to a halt.

(Y/N) had been ill for days at this point, and the Doctor had finally found a medicine that was safe to use whilst (Y/N) was still early on in development, so to speak. They had just touched down on a space station in the year 3096, Earth time, to collect it. Unfortunately, it would take several hours to pick up the medicine, so she was forced to leave Missy in charge of caring for (Y/N). Probably a bad idea, but better than letting (Y/N) suffer.

The Doctor approached the door, taking a quick glance back at the scene behind her. (Y/N) was standing near a doorway at the back, obviously sulking, whilst Missy stood just behind the TARDIS console, giving the Doctor a smile that she didn't trust one bit. But, what could she do?

"See you later, and _play nice_ ," She warned, before exiting the TARDIS, basically leaving (Y/N) and Missy to their own devices. A few moments of silence passed.

"I don't need a babysitter," (Y/N) practically hissed, her arms crossed across her chest. She was a fully grown, capable person, and she wasn't even in her headspace a lot of the time! She wasn't some incompetent little kid.

"Well, the Doctor certainly thinks so," Missy said, not making eye contact with (Y/N). It would probably just irritate her more. "And it isn't exactly as if you have a choice in the matter."

"I have the choice to do this, though," (Y/N) huffed. She stood up, and stormed across the room to the door to the outside world. As soon as she had one hand on the door handle, she immediately felt Missy grab her from behind, swiftly removing (Y/N) from the area via the means of picking her up. (Y/N) had long since accepted that whatever happened, the Doctor and Missy would end up carrying her around in some way or another. However, this was the first time that (Y/N) had ever struggled against being picked up.

"God, don't make me deal with a temper tantrum now," Missy muttered under her breath. As soon as she said it, (Y/N) came out with a completely banshee-like screech. Oh great. So now she had to deal with an angry, fussy, very ill Time Lord child, only a week into development, half in-half out of toddler headspace, who was missing their mother.

Note to self, never offer to help the Doctor again, even if the idiot does insist on asking human girls to be her kids. Also, tell the Doctor to bite the bullet and get (Y/N) a pacifier.

So, that was that afternoon. Standing around, comforting a frantic, panicking, crying toddler, slowly slipping further and further into headspace. Oddly enough, the less she could hold onto an adult state of mind, the more (Y/N) panicked. By the time three hours had passed, Missy was periodically glancing towards the door, hoping that any second now, the Doctor would burst in - even for (Y/N)'s sake. (Y/N) needed a mother right now.

Three hours and fifteen minutes after the Doctor had left, she raced back into the TARDIS, dropping a small white paper bag on the console. She ran over, carefully taking (Y/N) from Missy. (Y/N) didn't show any signs of easing up, still sobbing and wailing.

"She's been crying since you left," Missy said quietly, carefully watching the Doctor try to calm (Y/N). It was like she instinctively knew how to hold (Y/N) - because she did. It wasn't just the children who were changed by the regeneration energy. Although not many knew this, quite often, parents of Time Lord children originally from other races would have changes in their hormones which allowed them to more effectively care for their children.

"Poor girl," The Doctor replied under her breath. Reaching into the small paper bag, she pulled out a roughly one inch by one inch black medicine patch. She pressed the patch against (Y/N)'s upper arm, and (Y/N) immediately began to calm and still, falling asleep. "They said that she'll be better within a day."

"Good. Now, let's hope she doesn't get ill again - she was all over the place with illness." Very much hopefully so. (Y/N) couldn't start getting ill again now - not when they were getting so close to getting her fully into headspace. No. Right now, (Y/N) had to be okay.

And she probably would be - especially with her own, personal Doctor. _The_ Doctor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeet.
> 
> So, thoughts? Please comment with ideas/criticism and leave kudos!
> 
> PS: So, who wants me to rewrite that episode where Clara gets trapped inside a Dalek so that nobody ever dies, Missy is reformed, and everybody is generally just a happy fam? (Okay but seriously I want 12, Clara and Missy and 13 and her gang in the same room. Pls.) (I could even use the same concept as this fic. Hmm...)


	7. Headspace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) finally, entirely falls into her headspace.

Twenty-seven hours later, and (Y/N) was healthy. Gods, the Doctor and Missy were both so bloody pleased when the medicine had actually worked - no nasty allergic reactions like humans tended to do, no tricky rip-off or hostage situations like aliens tended to do, and no buying the wrong thing like the Doctor tended to do.

It had been a quiet night. (Y/N) had been out like a light after the medicine patch had been administered, so the Doctor and Missy were left with nothing to do but, well, talk. And talk they did. They talked about the TARDIS, about Earth, about (Y/N), about Gallifrey, about the past and future and time and space and everything else. Until (Y/N) woke up.

The Doctor had entered (Y/N)'s room at roughly 8 AM Earth time, like she had done every day for the past week, and immediately knew that something was off. (Y/N) was... still asleep. That was very odd, as (Y/N) usually awoke at least ten minutes before the official 8 AM mark. With a small shake and wake-up call, (Y/N) yawned, her eyes fluttering open, and under any other circumstances, the Doctor might have laughed with delight.

The shine of pain and adulthood and misery and consciousness and memories behind (Y/N)'s eyes had completely gone. Her baby had finally stopped struggling against the call towards a new life. She had stopped resisting the regeneration energy beginning to run through her veins, and given up on constantly gripping onto being grown up. Right now, there was not (Y/N), the girl from Earth who ran away in a blue box with a mad alien woman. There was only (Y/N), the Doctor's child.

"... Mama?"

And there it was. (Y/N), calling the Doctor, her Doctor, mama. The Doctor might have actually burst into tears right then from pure joy if it weren't for the overwhelming need to tuck her little one up against herself and never, ever let go.

"It's me, sweetheart," She practically crooned, sweeping (Y/N) up into her arms in one swift movement.

"Hungry, mama," (Y/N) said almost demandingly. Was (Y/N) going to be this confident whilst in headspace all the time? Hopefully so - a shy baby was often a fussy baby.

"Of course, sweetheart," The Doctor said with a smile. Shifting (Y/N) further up onto her hip, she exited the room, travelling down the corridor to the Doctor's own, personal room, where she stored the bottles of regeneration energy she would often mix with various liquids to keep (Y/N) nourished. Since regeneration energy actually contained all the proper nutrients for many species, it wasn't often that this diet needed to be supplemented with other foods - the energy even read the child's mind, flavouring itself to whatever the child wanted.

The Doctor mixed about four teaspoons of the thick, sticky liquid with water, before pouring the mixture into the sippy cup that she had been giving to (Y/N) to drink out of when her baby was in headspace. Holding the cup in one hand, she left the room, before eventually arriving in what appeared to be a large library. However, instead of holding thick books on physics or alien biology like in her own library, this one was made exactly for Time Lord children. Every TARDIS had one, and the walls were lined with stories - fairytales, Just So-style stories, picture books, even traditional human books like Harry Potter were there. It was perfect.

At the end of the room, a marble fireplace sat fixed into the wall, a rug laid in front of it, and couches and armchairs positioned behind. The fireplace was lit, and the Doctor sat herself and (Y/N) in front of the fire, handing (Y/N) the sippy cup. (Y/N) leant up against the Doctor's side as she drank, and the Doctor reached over to a small pile of pre-prepared books, taking a compilation of traditional Gallifreyan fairytales off the top.

With a small smile, the Doctor opened up the first page, and began.

"A long, long time ago, there was a little girl named Deita, and she lived in a small village called Teamo..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels? Check. :)
> 
> Please leave a comment with ideas/criticism, and leave kudos if you enjoyed! :D


	8. Gallifrey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A comms message and an old friend.

This would definitely all be a whole lot easier if Missy hadn't decided to up and leave.

It was a few days after (Y/N) had first properly fallen into headspace, and annoyingly, Missy had recently left. Apparently, she had things to do and thought the Doctor capable of not dying for a bit. Well, of course she was capable! The thing was, (Y/N) was almost constantly fussy or asleep. It was difficult.

That is, until she received a message from a certain planet in a certain constellation, 250 million light-years away from Earth.

"Greetings, Doctor. This is a welcome message from Gallifrey. Any and all charges against you have been dropped, and you and your child are eternally welcome on your home planet."

Gallifrey.

She was welcome... back... home.

Whatever Missy had done this time, it would definitely have consequences at some point in the future, but for now, there was a trip to be made. The Doctor was going to take (Y/N) to Gallifrey. The thing was, if there were any safe places for Time Lord children to be, Gallifrey was one of them. In Time Lord culture, children were of the utmost importance, and it was incredibly likely that the discovery of (Y/N)'s existence had a heavy role in her own pardon.

So, that was how the Doctor found herself landing on her own home planet, (Y/N) beside her, preparing to visit the place where she was born and had grown up. Stepping outside, it was obvious that changes had been made. The planet resembled Earth a lot more heavily, bustling cities where quiet farms and citadels had been. The Doctor pulled (Y/N) close, not wanting her little one to end up wandering off.

As the pair proceeded through the streets of whatever city they had landed in, the Doctor quickly realised that the TARDIS wasn't translating. The musical language of traditional Gallifreyan floated around them, permeating the air. The Doctor understood every word, but was very much aware that (Y/N) didn't understand.

On that note, the Doctor suddenly realised that (Y/N) was probably becoming overwhelmed. And by the look on her little one's face, she was right. She was about to pull herself and (Y/N) into a side-street to deal with the oncoming meltdown, when she was suddenly tapped on the shoulder. She turned around, blinking in surprise, and gasping with delight when she realised what it was - Tribus.

Tribus was a friend that she had made during her childhood, if pure-born Time Lords even had much of a childhood. Gallifreyans chose their names, and Tribus, being the poor uncreative soul they were, simply chose the human Latin word for "Three" and left it at that. It appeared that Tribus had regenerated since the Doctor had seen them last, since they were now a dark-haired human woman with green eyes, contrasting to the green-skinned humanoid that Tribus had been before. (Some regeneration forms looked suspiciously like something from Raxafallicapitorius.)

"Are you...?"

"Yes, I am. Welcome back, Doctor."

After a quick hug, the Doctor introduced (Y/N) and Tribus, seating (Y/N) on her hip for better control over the still-stressed regeneration-child.

"Sorry, she's a little overwhelmed," The Doctor apologised.

"Don't worry, I know just the place," Tribus said with a smile. A few minutes later, they found themselves in a large building that had multiple winding pathways descending deep into the ground.

"Ever since the cities started expanding, we noticed that children got overwhelmed a lot," Tribus explained, "So a place was built where the little ones can be taken to calm down. There's a library, a pool, even a room where any scene can be recreated. Take as long as you need - it's for everybody."

"Thank you so much," The Doctor said quietly with a warm smile. Descending deeper into the building, it was obvious that Tribus had been being truthful. Time Lords and their charges scattered the rooms and halls, and it definitely appeared that the human race was the child of choice, letting (Y/N) fit right in.

Eventually, after what seemed like hours of walking, (Y/N) started to settle down, finally properly resettling into her headspace. The Doctor smiled, shifting (Y/N)'s position on her hip, and starting to head towards the exit to fully enjoy whatever new wonders Gallifrey had to offer this time around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See!? I SAID there'd be fluff!
> 
> Please comment with ideas and feedback, and leave kudos if you enjoyed! :D


	9. Nappies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise on two fronts.

The Doctor certainly hadn't anticipated something like this happening when she had that first evening with (Y/N). No, definitely not.

It was 8 AM, the usual wake-up time, and the Doctor had just gone to wake up (Y/N). However, when she pulled (Y/N) up into her arms to be carried, she suddenly paused. She bent down, patting the sheets, before standing up again with a sigh. It was barely visible, but there was a wet patch on the sheets.

It had been happening a lot since (Y/N) had first fully gone into headspace - the Doctor would go to pick her up, only to feel a wet patch against (Y/N)'s clothes or sheets. She didn't want to do it, and (Y/N) would definitely not be happy, but there was no denying it anymore. (Y/N) was going to need nappies.

Yeah, a lot of Time Lord children needed them, but more often than not, the child would desperately hang onto their bladders and bowels even harder than their adult minds, and never ended up needing to be nappied. However, it appeared that (Y/N) would need nappies.

"Sweetheart..." The Doctor murmured, pressing one hand gently onto (Y/N)'s upper back. "You're going to need nappies."

She could immediately feel (Y/N) stiffen, before crying out, her face scrunched up.

"No!" (Y/N) hissed, wriggling. The Doctor sighed, adjusting her position so that (Y/N) couldn't wriggle out of her arms and hurt herself. If she was even mildly incontinent now, then muscle restriction wouldn't be far behind. "No! I don't wanna! NO!"

"It's okay," She said soothingly as (Y/N) cried out. She hated this. She hated seeing her baby upset - and likely, there would be a lot of it in the future. It was more than likely that (Y/N) would end up regressing to even younger headspaces, probably becoming both restricted in mobility and non-verbal. Luckily, there were plenty of planets which were accepting of Time Lord children, allowing her to entertain and calm (Y/N) in peace.

The Doctor pressed a small button on the wall, stepping back as the built-in changing table slid out of the wall. She gently placed a still-squalling (Y/N) on the table, pulling supplies out of a small compartment in the wall. She worked fast, both soothing (Y/N) and putting on the nappy with semi-practised accuracy. Within ten minutes, (Y/N) was clean, nappied, and not protesting half as much as before.

She bent down, picking up (Y/N), who immediately nuzzled into the hollow between her shoulder and neck, clearly still embarrassed.

"It's okay, sweetie," She murmured quietly, stroking (Y/N)'s hair. "This is just to make sure that you don't get all messy and icky when Mama isn't here to clean you up, okay? Good girl." (Y/N) was quickly placated by her words, eventually falling asleep leaned against her shoulder.

(Y/N) appeared to sleep for at least an hour, during which the Doctor paced around the TARDIS. She had no chores to do, and felt no need to put (Y/N) back to bed in order to sleep - they were both comfy, and what if (Y/N) woke up wet? Suddenly, a huge smile spread across the Doctor's face as she realised what (Y/N) was doing in her half-asleep state.

The glands that secreted regeneration energy were positioned along a Time Lord or Lady's neck, usually sitting towards the middle, but could also be closer to the shoulders or jaw. Usually, the glands were buried deep in the neck muscles, but when looking after a child, the glands would rise up to the surface, where a Time Lord child could drink the energy pure, instead of the parent having to cut open a vein to collect the energy.

(Y/N) was nursing.

The Doctor was so, so happy. Firstly, it meant that she had the ability to let (Y/N) and future children nurse - it was proven healthier than cutting energy out using a parental weapon, a knife or dagger especially designed to let out regeneration energy. Secondly, it meant that (Y/N) felt relaxed and looked after enough to nurse. Thirdly, it meant that (Y/N) was no longer distressed from earlier. All in all, it was a wonderful day for both parties.

Returning to her own room, the Doctor laid down on her bed, positioning (Y/N) on her chest in a way that allowed them to snuggle at the same time that (Y/N) was nursing. (Y/N) was still firmly asleep, which was thankful - she might have freaked out to wake up and be both nappied and have been nursing. Smiling, the Doctor pressed a kiss to the top of (Y/N)'s head. As long as she was around, her baby girl was never going to feel sad again - she'd make sure of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff! Inspired by the idea of (Y/N) using nappies from HMae98, and expanded on by me. :)
> 
> Thank you for reading this story, everybody! I'm incredibly thankful for the influx of ideas that my call facilitated, and I'm ecstatic that so many people are reading my fanfiction! Please comment with ideas for future chapters and feedback on the ones I've written so far, and leave kudos if you enjoyed! Thank you for reading, and have a great day! :D
> 
> PS: Does anybody want to see Tribus from chapter 8 come back? I'm wondering if I should write another Gallifrey chapter...


	10. Topaz And Mitera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and (Y/N) make a new friend.

Topaz Mare 3 - Topaz for short - was an entirely uninhabited planet near the outer spiral of the Red Weasel galaxy in sector 1918 of the visible universe from Earth. It was also where the Doctor had just landed the TARDIS, and for a semi-good reason. In her opinion, it was high time that (Y/N) had a proper outing.

Topaz was a beautiful planet. It really was. It was always a moderate temperature. The water was a beautiful fluorescent blue, and at night, it glowed. The trees, again, were glow-in-the-dark, with cherry-red leaves and pastel pink bark. The grass, flowers, and plants were all kinds of beautiful colours. The wildlife residing there was sometimes simple, sometimes conscious and able to communicate, and always friendly. It was the perfect place to take (Y/N).

The Doctor glanced over at (Y/N), before lifting (Y/N) up into her arms. Her little one was currently somewhere around three in her headspace, which was good - young enough to be amenable to being carried, not too young that she wouldn't appreciate the outing. This was for (Y/N)'s sake more than anything.

She stepped outside, holding onto (Y/N) tightly. The moment they were outside, (Y/N) squealed with delight, reaching one hand out into the air. They had arrived just after dawn, meaning that the sun was still rising, casting a beautiful low light over the planet. The Doctor smiled to herself, bouncing (Y/N) on her hip slightly.

"Pretty, isn't it?" She said, starting to walk down one of the winding forest paths. "There's loads here I want to show you, baby."

(Y/N) paused at the last word - 'Baby'. It wasn't a bad pause, though. It was the pause of somebody who had been referred to with the wrong pronouns their whole life, and had suddenly realised what they were. The Doctor brushed over it, not bothering to point out how comfy (Y/N) was.

As they walked through the forests, she couldn't help but notice just how comfortable (Y/N) really was. She didn't even flinch when the Doctor tapped (Y/N)'s nappy to check for wetness periodically, and had no issues being carried around anymore. Nothing appeared to be missing - her baby was finally happy.

Around an hour into the trip, the Doctor suddenly paused in a large, flower-encircled clearing. She could hear footsteps. As she waited, a large, elegant, fox-like creature entered the clearing. The creature was a head or two taller than the Doctor, and looked like a fox, with five long, curly tails. It was followed by seven tumbling cubs, which came up to the Doctor's knee.

The creature paused for a moment, before nodding gracefully.

"Welcome, Doctor," The creature rumbled. Well, it appeared that this one in particular was verbal. "I, Mitera, welcome you into our home in the knowledge that you mean only compassion."

"I honour your home, and come here meaning only kindness," The Doctor replied.

"You have a cub?" Mitera rumbled, cocking her head to one side, her gaze flicking to (Y/N) for a moment.

"I do," The Doctor replied. "Her name is (Y/N). She is human, but, in time, will grow into a Time Lady such as myself."

"I wish you the best of luck," Mitera replied. "Motherhood is a difficult journey, and I know not of your own customs, but I know that any mother residing on this planet would face starvation, thirst, and old age a thousand times over to watch their offspring grow."

The pair spent the rest of the day with Mitera and her cubs. By the time dusk fell, the Doctor trusted Mitera with her life. The fellow mother was a Prolos - the dominant species of the planet. They usually lived in solitude, but would sometimes create small packs. The Prolos were regarded as the best parents in the Red Weasel galaxy.

As the sun slipped below the horizon, the Doctor stood up from her cross-legged position, pulling (Y/N) close. (Y/N) gave her a look of curiosity and confusion, before gasping in delight. The leaves of the trees and the babbling stream off to the side of the clearing lit up, and the Doctor exchanged a look of delight with Mitera as (Y/N) squealed in pure joy.

The pair said their goodbyes, the Doctor promising to bring (Y/N) back to visit Mitera and her cubs. As they entered the TARDIS once more, the Doctor sighed to herself, pulling (Y/N) into a tight hug. She'd made a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pure. Cuteness.
> 
> Please leave a comment with feedback and ideas, and leave kudos if you like this fic! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and have a great day! :D


	11. Midnight Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midnight cuddles and fixing up (Y/N).

Ever since Topaz, (Y/N) had started going deeper and deeper into her headspace. The Doctor had started letting (Y/N) sleep in her own bed, pressed close against her chest. Whilst before, (Y/N) had never been younger than around 3, she had started having headspaces as young as one and a half. The Doctor didn't mind, of course - (Y/N) was her little girl.

It was currently very early in the morning, around 2 AM if you thought about it relatively. The Doctor had been woken up early by (Y/N)'s whimpers and cries for comfort, and had happily obliged, snuggling (Y/N) up against her chest whilst she nursed. They were both very lucky that the TARDIS had a room almost exactly like an Earth living room, so the pair could snuggle up together and act like they weren't two crazy idiots running around doing stupid things only a few weeks ago.

(Y/N) eventually stopped nursing, curling close into the Doctor's chest. Unfortunately, with nothing to occupy her mouth, (Y/N) quickly started crying, as fussy babies usually do. It suddenly came to the Doctor that (Y/N) had been a lot fussier and had cried a lot more recently. Maybe she should look into that. But not now.

She suddenly realised that a small box had appeared on a nearby table. Looking inside, she blinked nervously at the contents. An already-filled baby bottle and a pacifier were neatly placed inside, and with a small sigh, she drew the box a little closer.

Clever TARDIS.

Steadying one hand against (Y/N)'s back, she quickly pressed the pacifier into (Y/N)'s mouth. Luckily, she latched on quickly, the rubber muffling the whimpers. The sucking motion appeared to calm her down, and within ten minutes, (Y/N) was fast asleep. The Doctor smiled, rubbing (Y/N)'s back as she tucked the younger girl against her side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luckily, it was a lot easier to control (Y/N) when she woke up, as her headspace had grown to about three and a half. This meant that the Doctor could leave (Y/N) alone to play whilst she tinkered with a few bits on the TARDIS. The engine had started to go a little funny, so she needed to fix that up before they went anywhere else.

She had just finished fixing what she needed to, when she heard a loud wail - in (Y/N)'s voice - echoing down the long, winding hallways. A million thoughts flew through her mind - _(Y/N)'s upset, (Y/N)'s hurt, (Y/N)'s dying, (Y/N)'s been kidnapped_ \- as she stood stock-still for less than a millisecond, eyes wide. In an instant, she started running, racing down the hallways towards (Y/N)'s voice.

The Doctor practically flew into the room, and immediately yelled wordlessly once she saw the scene. (Y/N) was collapsed on the floor on her knees, blood pulsing out of a large wound on her lower arm as she cried out in pain. Looking around, the Doctor immediately saw what had hurt her little one - a careless sharp edge on the bed.

She practically threw herself onto the ground, drawing (Y/N) in close, mumbling hushed, soothing words as she pressed her hands to (Y/N)'s wound, trying to stem the bleeding. Without a second thought, she picked (Y/N) up, leaving the room and heading towards the medical bay.

The Doctor gently placed (Y/N) on a medical bed, before grabbing a medical kit and tearing it open. She gently took (Y/N)'s arm, starting to treat the wound. Once it was done, she scooped (Y/N) up into her arms, gently bouncing (Y/N) on her hip as she hummed a tune that she knew from her own childhood.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," She said quietly, pulling (Y/N) a little closer. "You're going to be just fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Angst, angst baby!_
> 
> Please don't hate me, LOL.
> 
> Please comment with ideas and feedback, and leave kudos if you're enjoying this fic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and have a great day! :D


	12. Nighttime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's back.

It wasn't uncommon for you to wake up, so to speak. Not uncommon at all.

You would drift in and out of your headspace, thinking about Earth one minute and the Doctor - _Mama_ \- next, and it all ended up as one big sleepy blur, best described as an underwater dream. It usually happened at night. You would lie awake, half-sleepy, thinking about whatever drifted through your mind for hours and hours until you fell asleep at quarter past one in the morning and awoke again at three crying out for the Doctor.

You did that every single night until Missy came back. Neither of you spoke to the Doctor about what happened at night, Missy hardly ever speaking to the Doctor at all. She usually said that she was organising a surprise for the two of you if you asked. If you did ask, and she did acknowledge, then there was usually a surprise present of some sort the next day - almost always with no label.

The interactions varied a lot. Sometimes, if you were adult enough to hold a conversation, the pair of you would talk. If you couldn't focus enough to talk, then Missy would tell you stories about things that the Doctor had done when she, herself was young. Stories from the academy, or when the Doctor only had two, or four, or seven, or ten faces.

It was nice.

It was nice to be able to open your eyes at eleven at night and hear the tales of ____ and ____, of the time they almost blew up Raxacollicofallapitorious and its sister planet Klum, of the day that the Doctor almost failed every class because she accidentally made the nurse-matron regenerate, and to know that one day soon, you'd be able to hear the stories in waking hours too.

Missy was a lot of your firsts. A note pinned to your bedframe prompted the Doctor to look into bottle-feeding. A red ribbon around your left wrist on the night before you first had sweets again as a Time Lord child. A soothing presence at night all through the first time you aged down below two.

You knew that there was one problem, though.

You trusted Missy, and Missy was not to be trusted.

You'd never been explicitly told as so, but the looks that the Doctor gave her whilst she was still around in daytime told all. 

But, you weren't to be dissuaded. Missy was almost like an aunt to you, and you weren't about to give up the second real family member. Your old family, your biological family - they weren't family. The Doctor was your Mama, and Missy was practically your aunt. You trusted both of them with your life, even if it wasn't the best idea.

The night after you injured yourself, Missy appeared in your room as usual, and gave you a small curl of hair. One glance at the colour - it was your mother's. Your biological mother had always been the most critical of the Doctor, and had been the first to hit you. The first to call you stupid. The first to hurt your soul in a near-irreparable fashion. And the moment that curl of hair was in your hand, a series of pictures flashed through your mind, and you knew.

Your mother was in prison. Your father was awaiting trial. Everybody who had ever hurt you had been punished, and the Doctor knew too. And soon enough, you'd see Missy in the daytime too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO'S BACK!? :D
> 
> Also, 1000 hits!!! This fic has been viewed OVER 1000 GODDAMN TIMES! I'm so happy! :D
> 
> Please comment with feedback and ideas for future chapters, and leave kudos if you're enjoying this fic! I hope that you both enjoyed this chapter, and that you have a great day! :D


	13. A Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Missy gets caught sneaking in.

"I can't believe you, Missy. I actually can't believe you."

"What have I done _now_?"

"Well, firstly, you snuck into the TARDIS whilst (Y/N) was asleep."

"I've been doing it for months."

"WHAT!?"

"(Y/N) enjoys our talks. It's fine."

"Ugh."

Today was not a good day. First, the Doctor finds Missy in the TARDIS, in the middle of the night, with a puppy. A puppy. And her explanation was that it was a gift for (Y/N). So now, the pair of them were standing in the console room, arguing possible a little too loudly.

The puppy in question was possibly not a puppy at all, and maybe just a juvenile dog. It was a male, apparently, and already reached halfway to the Doctor's knee-height. His coat was patched with dark brown and black, and he had a long tail and striking icy-blue eyes. Definitely a mixed-breed.

"You can't just waltz in here, drop off a puppy, and run off again," The Doctor said with a sigh.

"Yes, I can," Missy replied immediately.

"You can't."

"I can."

"Can't!"

"Can!"

"CAN'T!"

"CAN!"

"PUPPY!" (Y/N) practically screamed, sprinting in. Apparently, their arguing had woken (Y/N) up, who appeared to be in an older headspace - three or four years old. The puppy raced up to her, and that was it. Both the Doctor and Missy knew that that dog would never be apart from (Y/N) again.

"Well, I guess that there's a dog in the picture now," The Doctor sighed.

"Indeed there is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Puppy! Any name suggestions?
> 
> So, I'm probably going to be taking a little break from this fic. I'll almost definitely be back within a week, but I'm just feeling a bit burnt out and out of ideas, and, well, I've been uploading a chapter literally every day to keep up with the demand that this fic brings. This fic has just hit 1100 views, so I think that now is a convenient time to take a break from writing daily chapters, and take some time to come up with a hefty ideas list. :)
> 
> Please comment with feedback and ideas, and leave kudos if you're enjoying this fic! I hope that everybody reading this has a brilliant day! :D


	14. Time Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) contracts a dangerous disease known as Time Fever.

It was several weeks later. The puppy - now christened Avocado - had grown exponentially, and had become (Y/N)'s best friend and guardian. The Doctor had come to tolerate, even enjoy Avocado's presence, but right now, there was something even more important on her mind - (Y/N)'s health.

(Y/N) had been exhibiting symptoms of a disease known as Time Fever. It was exclusive to Gallifreyans, contagious, and could be fatal. Luckily, all Time Lord children were vaccinated against it at birth - except for the fact that (Y/N) hadn't been vaccinated yet. The early symptoms were a high fever, chest pain, nausea, chills, dizziness, and sleepiness, all of which (Y/N) were exhibiting. If it wasn't treated, she could move on to coughing, severe chest pain, vomiting, bowel problems, weakness, and insomnia. The final symptoms were severe coughing, severe chest pain, vomiting, muscle weakness, extreme vertigo, a dangerously high fever, blurred vision or partial blindness, incontinence, and a severe cough. If (Y/N) reached the final stage, she would die.

Luckily, the Doctor had Gallifrey on her side once more. So, she had piloted the TARDIS to her home planet, all whilst organising treatment for (Y/N). It was all very complicated, but Gallifrey had good doctors - very, very good doctors - so hopefully (Y/N) would be saved. Hopefully on their part, of course. If (Y/N) was hurt in even the slightest way, anybody who got in the Doctor's way would probably end up dead. (Y/N) was the most important person ever to her.

The TARDIS landed, and the Doctor picked (Y/N) up firmly yet gently, carrying her out into the huge hall. She had landed directly inside the hospital, in order not to risk infecting anybody else. The waiting room was a huge, arching hall, lined with chairs and tables. The walls and ceiling were a bright medical white, and the entire scene felt cold and impersonal. It was lucky that (Y/N) was asleep against her shoulder so that the little girl didn't have to feel the uncomfortable atmosphere.

The Doctor approached the front desk, holding onto (Y/N) tightly. The receptionist looked up, and immediately recognised them. It was unsurprising - her arrival back home a month or so prior had been all over Gallifrey's news.

"The Doctor and (Y/N), correct?" The receptionist asked.

"That's us," She replied. "Time Fever. Needs treatment and inoculation."

"Right that way, miss," The receptionist replied, gesturing towards a door to their left labelled "Children's Ward - Infectious Diseases". The Doctor nodded, thanking the receptionist, before walking through the door.

Before long, (Y/N) had been put on treatment. It was revealed that (Y/N) had already moved onto the second stage of the disease, but it had been caught before it could do any permanent harm. Apparently, they had put her on medications, and the fever had been brought under control.

"Can you do the vaccines now?" The Doctor asked. She had known the _actual_ doctor - the one treating (Y/N) - from the Academy, so that was very helpful.

"I'll see if we can call in somebody qualified," The other Gallifreyan replied, "But it would be a lot safer to wait until (Y/N) recovers fully and is out of her headspace."

"Okay," She agreed. "The headspace might be a problem. She doesn't grow up much anymore, and she'll probably fall back into headspace permanently for a bit because of the illness. Her biological family was... Abusive. She has a fragile mind."

"You did the right thing by taking her on board," The other Gallifreyan said softly.

"I'm sure I did," The Doctor said firmly. She stood up, moving back through to (Y/N)'s room, and took a seat, watching protectively over her child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I return, and with angst! The Time Fever plot should last at least a few chapters, so... Any ideas, anybody?
> 
> Please comment with ideas and feedback, and leave kudos if you're enjoying this fic! Thank you for reading, and I hope that everybody reading this has a great day! :D


	15. Vaccinations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) gets her vaccines, and goes home.

(Y/N) got better a lot more quickly over the following two weeks. Her sleepiness, nausea, and high temperature had gone away completely, and all that was left of the Time Fever symptoms was a slight fever, and (Y/N) being extremely deep into her headspace. The Doctor had found that (Y/N) tended to average out at about three years old in her headspace, but today, she was slightly younger - about two and a half.

All in all, the Gallifreyan physicians at the hospital had decided that (Y/N) was now healthy enough to be vaccinated against both Time Fever and a variety of other diseases, including Inoculum, which was a sort of chicken pox-like disease, Chen-7, Lazar's Disease, and a type of flu that involved coughing up blood. None of them were pleasant.

However, there was a small problem with this. Many people didn't like getting vaccinations, or being stabbed with needles at all, especially children - and Time Lord children were no exception. Plus, knowing (Y/N), she'd probably end up making a huge fuss over it all. This is how the Doctor ended up trying to explain to somebody with an actual medical degree that no, they couldn't just tie (Y/N) down. That would traumatise the poor girl.

Eventually, they agreed that the Doctor would hold (Y/N) very tightly whilst the physician injected the vaccinations. Apparently, (Y/N) would be pretty sore for a few weeks, but after she was vaccinated, the pair of them could leave immediately. This was very good news - Missy had called the Doctor up the other day, very annoyed that she'd been left to take care of the dog.

The Doctor was currently sat in a blue chair with a metal frame, (Y/N) curled up on her lap, burying her face into the Doctor's chest whilst sobbing heavily. She frowned slightly, glancing towards the Gallifreyan physician, who was sitting opposite the pair of them, holding a full vaccination needle and staring at the Doctor in an annoyed manner.

"Just get it over with," The Doctor said in a quiet voice. "It'll be better for her when everything is said and done."

The physician paused, before nodding. He leaned forwards, grabbing (Y/N)'s upper arm, and inserting the needle into her arm. (Y/N) basically screamed like a harpy for several minutes, even after the needle was pulled away. The Doctor immediately began shushing the younger girl, standing up to bounce (Y/N) on her hip slightly. Note to self - (Y/N) _really_ hates needles.

"Shh, it's okay," The Doctor said quietly, pulling (Y/N) in close. "It's okay, honey. It's all over now, okay? It's going to be okay." She continued the calming words until (Y/N) finally quietened, starting to suckle off the regeneration energy gland on her shoulder. The Doctor sighed, stroking (Y/N)'s hair.

"Thank you," She thanked the physician, before walking out at a brisk pace, (Y/N) still firmly attached and nursing quietly. The Doctor smiled to herself as she walked through the city streets, tucking (Y/N) under the open-fronted shelter of her coat, the same coat that Rosa Parks herself had mended. It suddenly came to the Doctor that she should start taking (Y/N) out more often once she was healthy once more. Show her the greatest humans of Earth - Catherine the Great, Cleopatra, maybe visit Van Gogh again. Ooh! Or visit Alexander Hamilton - she did really enjoy that musical.

They quickly returned to the TARDIS. As they approached, Missy practically threw the doors open, looking, frankly, incredibly pissed off.

"Do you know," Missy said loudly, "How long you've been gone for? You and (Y/N) have been in that hospital with (Y/N) deathly ill for five whole weeks, and there was never a wink from you! Not one word! (Y/N) could've been dead, and I wouldn't know!"

"I never knew that you were so sentimental, Missy," The Doctor said with a large grin. "Maybe you're getting soft. And, as you can see, (Y/N) is completely fine. Also, I got her the 21-illness Time Lord childhood vaccination, and we're booked in to get her booster vaccines for the next ten Gallifrey years."

"I'm not getting soft," Missy grumbled. "And good. If you hadn't, I'd've had to stab you, and you know how your TARDIS gets when I stab you."

"I'd prefer it if you just didn't stab me at all."

"Don't push your luck."

Missy rolled her eyes, letting the Doctor and (Y/N) inside. (Y/N) began to wake up, curling even tighter around the Doctor, nuzzling her face into the Doctor's chest. Both Time Ladies sighed - (Y/N) was alive, and that was all that truly mattered. If (Y/N) had died, then several warlord races would be dead by now as well. Completely.

The Doctor immediately set to getting (Y/N) settled in. She changed (Y/N)'s nappy, noticing that it was soaking wet, and changed (Y/N) out of her hospital-given clothes and into one of her usual onesies. The one that she had picked out had arrived in a package from her hometown on Gallifrey three weeks after her return to the planet. It was bright green, with forest-green circles spelling out the word _Loved_ in traditional Gallifrey in a pattern.

After this, the Doctor simply deposited (Y/N) in her bed. This time, she pulled up three of the four changeable wooden cot sides, deciding to get (Y/N) used to being enclosed. (Y/N) appeared to be aging down further and further as time went on, and soon enough, she'd probably be at the point of being non-verbal. Maybe she'd even get to the stage of a newborn child.

The Doctor started to switch out all the lights except for a small lamp at (Y/N)'s beside, which bathed the whole room in a gentle, deep orange glow, the colour of the Gallifreyan skies. At some point, the murals of Gallifrey and words of traditional Gallifreyan decorating (Y/N)'s walls had been added to, probably by Missy whilst (Y/N) was in the hospital. Two figures stood side-by-side on the landscape - two figures that the Doctor recognised as her and Missy's original forms as children. Theta and Koschei. On even closer inspection, tiny letters in swirling handwriting appeared in the very tiniest bottom-right-hand-corner of (Y/N)'s wall.

_To my dear niece (Y/N). Please, don't follow the same path I did. I pray that our Gallifreyan kin will never torture you as they did myself and your mother. Be free. From Missy._

The Doctor sighed to herself, closing the door, and returning to the console room. Missy turned to her, and the two Time Ladies approached each other.

"I saw what you wrote," The Doctor said quietly. "I'm not going to let them make (Y/N) look into the vortex. I promise you that."

"Good," Missy replied in the same quiet tone. "Please don't risk making her hear the drums."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1138 words, with angst and fluff! :D
> 
> Please comment with ideas, feedback, and criticism, and leave kudos if you're enjoying this fic! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and that you have a great day! :D


	16. The Midnight Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Missy have a late-night talk.

A few hours into the night, the Doctor and Missy had somehow both found themselves in (Y/N)'s room. The younger girl was near-irresistible to them. The Doctor put it down to shared parental instincts, Missy said that they had drunk too much hypervodka and hallucinated (Y/N) bawling her eyes out. It didn't really matter, though, as long as the Doctor had her baby in her arms. Sweet little (Y/N), all asleep in her headspace.

The three of them had found their way into a comfortable position on the floor. The Doctor leaned up against the wall, (Y/N) tucked up against her, whilst Missy sat next to her, leaning into both the Doctor and (Y/N). (Y/N) was still quietly asleep and dreaming, and didn't move or make a sound for longer than a tiny wriggle or fascinated little gasp, which both Time Ladies found completely adorable. Otherwise, the room was completely silent.

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I said, I'm sorry," Missy repeated. "I'm so sorry. I know, I know, you probably think I'm up to something, but... I can't believe I did all those _things_ to you back when I was a man and you only had your younger faces. I look back on those days with sorrow, and I know that one day, I'm going to start doing them again."

"You aren't," The Doctor replied quietly. "I'll make sure that you'll never have to, okay? I'll make sure that you'll have different ways of coping. I'll stop the hurting."

"I fear that you can't," Missy said. "The drums are louder than ever now, in the past few weeks. There are only a few things that make them be quiet. And even then, they're still there, just... in the background. I don't want to start hurting you again, and I don't want to let myself hurt (Y/N)."

"It's going to be okay," The Doctor said soothingly. She used her 'Momma' tone of voice, the one perfected after months of speaking to an aged-down (Y/N). "It's going to be okay, I promise. I know that you're not okay right now, but I promised you that if you came with me, I'd find a way to save you, and that's even more important to me now. Besides, (Y/N) loves you. How could either of us take love away from her?"

"You're right," Missy replied in a hushed voice. "(Y/N) is the most important thing to you right now. And honestly, she's the most important thing to me, too. (Y/N) is going to be one of our own within bare years, and really, she already is."

"True. Very, very, very true."

The two of them fell silent, Missy pressing tightly against the Doctor. Eventually, the Doctor shifted (Y/N) towards Missy, mouthing the words _"Arm cramps"_ as she handed over the still-asleep Time Lord child. Missy took her gratefully, happy to have the child that was practically her niece safe and sound with her.

As they sat there, the Doctor shaking herself out, Missy realised that the two Time Ladies were... the same as they were before. They were best friends. She couldn't believe it. After all she'd done, why did the Doctor trust her? And especially why did the Doctor trust her with (Y/N)? Was it because Missy herself had raised children? No, her children had all gone on to start wars. Was it because she was the only Gallifreyan available? No, Gallifrey was back.

Wait.

No.

Not that.

It couldn't be that.

It was never that.

The Doctor simply, inherently, completely trusted Missy. Trusted her with (Y/N), with the TARDIS, with Gallifrey, to deal with (Y/N)'s biological family. Trusted her to give (Y/N) toys and treats and call (Y/N) her niece, to spring surprises on the Doctor and (Y/N). She trusted that Missy loved (Y/N) enough to not hurt either of them.

Nobody had ever trusted her like that before.

And, so, they settled back down together, the three of them. The Doctor, always the kind and the strong and the mother and the father. (Y/N), still fast asleep and in her headspace, settled on the Doctor's chest and belly, quietly dreaming. And Missy, who had been strong and tough and indomitable all her life, hugging the Doctor for dear life with tears streaming down her cheeks. And each and every one of them understood.

Slowly but surely, the room became quiet. Missy went silent herself, falling asleep from the shock of being properly trusted for the first time ever. Falling asleep against the Doctor's shoulder, leaving herself vulnerable. The first act of full trust she'd exhibited for a while. The Doctor sighed happily, looking over the Time Lady who was half her sister, half her lover, and the little human that she called her own child.

"Hello, you two," The Doctor murmured quietly, hugging them both closer. "Hello. You're both so peaceful when you're asleep, nothing like either of you when you're awake. Missy, always another surprise or another trap or another scheme. You're still as clever and street-smart as you were at the Academy. And (Y/N), my little whirlwind of energy. My little girl. I can't wait to go further down this road with you two, you know. I can't wait."

"Missy..." She continued, turning her head to face Missy's sleeping form. "It's going to be okay, you know. I promise it will. We'll stop the drums, I know we will. Together. Maybe even with (Y/N) when she's a little older. Replace them with maracas or something. No, that would drive you even more insane. But... It's going to happen. I love you and trust you with all of both of my hearts. You're one of the only things in this universe which could make my hardened hearts go soft."

"And (Y/N)," She murmured, turning her head again to look at (Y/N). "My baby. My little girl. My honey. My sweetheart. My little one. My child. I love you so, so much, you know that? I love you as much as I loved Rose and Martha and Donna and Amy and Rory and River, and all of them, you hear me? And one day, I'll get them back, and I'll have you meet them, and they'll love you too. I love you so, so much. You're the other thing in this universe right now who could soften my heart."

And that, herself, was how the Doctor fell asleep. The Oncoming Storm, asleep in her child's nursery, with her child and her best friend cuddled up to her. The perfect picture of love. The Doctor loved both (Y/N) and Missy so, so much, and if anything hurt either of them, they'd pay. She knew that much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOP! 1113 words of pure fluff and angst! Yay!
> 
> So! I'm thinking about expanding this universe concept a little bit. There are five different stories I could do using the Regeneration Energy Child idea.
> 
> 1: Nine and Rose.
> 
> 2: Ten and Rose.
> 
> 3: Eleven with both the Ponds.
> 
> 4: Missy and Clara.
> 
> 5: A book of one-shots for lots of different Regeneration Energy Children story ideas and pairings.
> 
> Please tell me in the comments which ideas you like the sound of best! :D
> 
> Please comment with ideas and criticism, and leave kudos if you enjoyed! I hope that everybody reading this both enjoyed this chapter, and has a great day! :D


	17. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) has nightmares.

The next few days after that were relatively normal. (Y/N) had stayed aged-down for around 80% of the time, only ageing back up a few times when she had to be coaxed into doing so by the Doctor or Missy in order to have a serious conversation, or as such. The nights were normal, too - no late-night confessions, no staying up past midnight with fussy babies. All in all, it worked out pretty well.

The Doctor had just put (Y/N) down to sleep. The Time Lord child was now sleeping entirely in a crib, with all four of the cot sides pulled up. The Doctor and Missy had also purchased a small mobile to go above (Y/N)'s bed, depicting Gallifrey and its two suns, as well as stars, comets, and different space-related objects - all carved out of wood. It was quite pleasant to be able to go into (Y/N)'s room and see her happily asleep. Therefore, the two Time Ladies had settled themselves in different areas of the TARDIS, unaware of the turmoil currently happening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Where was Mama?_

_Big city... Lost. Don't know where Mama is. Or where Missy is. Hurts... Why does it hurt? It shouldn't hurt. Didn't hurt before, why did it hurt now? Why was there blood? Big and scary monster... Right there. That's why it hurts, then. Dizzy... Spinning... Mama was there. No... That was the wrong Mama. That Mama hurt you._

_Where was Mama?_

_She wasn't there. Not there... Not safe. Not safe. Want Mama. Mama wasn't there. Red and sticky and hurts. Hurts bad, real bad. Hurts, hurts, hurts. Knife. Gun. Where was Mama? Want Mama. Need Mama to make it better. Red, red, red. Hurts bad. Hurts. Where was Mama? Want Mama want Mama WANT MAMA!_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the sound of a loud scream from (Y/N)'s room, the Doctor immediately dropped what she was doing, and went running. Was (Y/N) hurt? Was she ill? Were the aches and pains from the vaccinations getting to her? Maybe she woke up in a different headspace or aged-up, and got scared. Either way, it was important that (Y/N) was checked on as soon as physically possible, and that meant right now.

Opening the door, the Doctor raced into (Y/N)'s room. (Y/N) was curled up in bed, holding a blanket close to her face, and sobbing loudly. The Doctor walked over, pulling down the front-facing cot side. She sat down, pulling (Y/N) close to her chest, and allowing the younger girl to cry freely. Nightmares, then.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" The Doctor asked (Y/N), her voice sweet and comforting. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

(Y/N) didn't reply, her sobs only growing in strength and frequency. At this point, snot and tears covered (Y/N)'s face, and the Doctor reached out to grab a tissue box, starting to wipe (Y/N)'s face. Once she was clean, the Doctor pulled (Y/N) even closer, realising what had happened. (Y/N) had aged down to the age of a baby - she was fully non-verbal, and by the way that she was relying on the Doctor for support, had very weak muscles, too.

"Aw, sweetie, it's okay," The Doctor said soothingly. "It's okay, baby. You're safe now, safe here with me. I know that you had nightmares, and I know that they were really really scary, but it's over now. You're safe here, with me, in the TARDIS. Okay? You hear that? You're safe, honey. You're safe."

She continued her soothing words, bouncing (Y/N) as she sat on the bed, comforting (Y/N). At some point, Avocado entered the room, leaning up against the Doctor's leg as she continued to talk to (Y/N). _Maybe he sensed that (Y/N) was upset,_ the Doctor thought to herself as she looked down at the mixed-breed pet dog.

At some point, the Doctor had decided to resort to walking around the TARDIS with (Y/N) in her arms, allowing (Y/N) to nurse as they walked. (Y/N) calmed down relatively quickly after this began, and to the Doctor's relief, quickly became the happy - yet rather sleepy - little girl that she usually was. This left the Doctor to one very, very big question - what had (Y/N) been dreaming about?

It couldn't have been monsters - (Y/N) hadn't yet experienced anything that the Doctor usually battled. Weeping Angels, Vashta Nerada, Slitheen, and even the Daleks had stayed at bay ever since (Y/N) had boarded the TARDIS. (Y/N) didn't really have any major phobias or fears such as the dark, heights, or even clowns. That left only one thing that (Y/N) could've been dreaming about - her own, biological family.

The Doctor was furious. Completely and utterly furious. How could her baby's own family have hurt her so badly that even after confirmation that anybody who had dared to lay a word or a finger on (Y/N) had been ass-kicked to smithereens, that (Y/N) still had nightmares about them? If they weren't probably dead already, she'd've had Missy watch (Y/N) whilst she went and killed them all. She didn't even care about the no-killing rule - (Y/N) had been hurt.

With a small sigh, the Doctor returned to (Y/N)'s room. The digital clock on the bedstand flashed 2:15 AM, on the dot. The Doctor laid (Y/N) down to rest with a smile, and settled on the bed next to (Y/N). She paused, before starting to hum a simple tune, the tune of a song sung to young children on Gallifrey. She paused again, before starting to sing.

_When the sky has a third sunrise,_  
Or when trees begin to cry,  
When the lights go out in my eyes,  
That's when you'll be loved no more. 

_But that won't ever happen,_  
For there are only two suns in the sky,  
For the trees have no eyes to cry from,  
For I'll always return to you,  
And you'll always be loved, my dear. 

The Doctor smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of (Y/N)'s head.

"Sleep well, little one," She whispered, before taking a deep breath of (Y/N)'s scent, and standing up. She pulled up the cot side, and leaned over it, smiling. "And no more nightmares, you hear me?" She left the room with a huge smile on her face, letting the traditional Gallifreyan song that she'd sung to (Y/N) reverberate around her head.

_When the sky has a third sunrise,_  
Or when trees begin to cry,  
When the lights go out in my eyes,  
That's when you'll be loved no more. 

_But that won't ever happen,_  
For there are only two suns in the sky,  
For the trees have no eyes to cry from,  
For I'll always return to you,  
And you'll always be loved, my dear. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! I have decided to expand the Regeneration Energy Child universe by writing an Eleven and the Ponds story! "And That Makes Three" will be uploaded within three days of this chapter being published! :D
> 
> Please comment with ideas and criticism, and leave kudos if you enjoyed! Thank you for reading, and I hope that everybody reading this has a great day! :D


	18. The Colony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor takes (Y/N), Missy, and Avocado on a trip to a town called Bravery on Earth.

In all honesty, the Doctor never thought that (Y/N) would be quite so happy to be aged-down out and about on Earth. The night before, Missy had shown the Doctor a colony, on Earth, of humans who knew about and fully accepted Time Lords. She had suggested that they take a little trip, and see exactly what was going on down there. And, well, the Doctor had said yes.

There was... a lot of commotion when the TARDIS landed. By the time that the Doctor had gotten (Y/N) ready and Avocado on a leash, the noise outside the TARDIS was almost unbearable. However, when they flung the doors open, the crowd had gone silent, simply staring at the three of them - the Doctor, (Y/N), and Missy. And the dog. Obviously.

The colony was really very nice, all things considered. They had been eager to learn about how Time Lords reproduced and to meet (Y/N), and apparently, there was even a show on Earth called Doctor Who that was all about the Doctor! Of course, it was a little inaccurate, but after correcting a few misconceptions, it was really good to be able to sit down and talk about past experiences with the people among the colony who watched the show. Amy and Rory, Clara, Rose, the Time War, Doomsday, Lake Silencia... All of it.

(Y/N) had been firmly by either the Doctor or Missy's side through it all. She appeared to be shy, but not nervous as such, and despite being in a semi-nonverbal state of mind, would happily babble away to anybody who sat around long enough to listen. Most of the residents of the small colony, the town they called Bravery, loved (Y/N) to bits, however, and would happily sit and watch over (Y/N) for the Doctor.

After a few hours, the Doctor had made a few new friends. There was a 14-year-old boy named Quinn - he had pitch-black hair, bright green eyes, and an open attitude towards life. He was one of the ones who watched Doctor Who, and had happily chatted with the Doctor about monsters and alien worlds for quite a while.

Then, there was Ivy. She was a 19-year-old girl who had long, curly, reddish-brown hair, gentle blue eyes, and was the mother to a three-year-old girl - Tabitha - and a baby boy - Toby. She watched the show, too. Despite her unfortunate circumstances, she was as kind as could be, and the Doctor couldn't help but compare her to Amy. They had talked about motherhood, shared experiences, and how awful changing a messy nappy could be.

And finally, there was Natalie. She was 15, with short blonde hair in a pixie cut, and striking, chestnut-brown eyes. Although she didn't watch Doctor Who, Natalie was a huge conspiracy theorist and believer in aliens, and was all but too willing to sit and learn about Sontarans and Daleks and Silurians. Natalie was a spitfire - strong, confident, and all-round brilliant. The sort of person the Doctor's Ninth self would've liked.

The Doctor and Ivy were currently sitting around a campfire in the centre of the camp, chatting. The town was set in a pine forest, every building made out of the same dark wood. The town square was a fire-pit, with log benches all around it. (Y/N) was off playing with Avocado, watched over by Missy.

"So... she's your daughter?" Ivy asked, her eyes full of wonder.

"Basically," The Doctor replied. "(Y/N)'s my special girl, that's for sure. I love her like a daughter, and after the process is finished, she'll share my DNA as a daughter does. I'm looking forward to it, honestly, and I think that she is too."

"I couldn't imagine Tabitha being an adult," Ivy remarked. "I don't think I'd put up with half the stuff she does if she was grown-up."

"I don't think that (Y/N) really is grown up..." The Doctor said quietly.

"Maybe she isn't," Ivy suggested. "Maybe (Y/N) really does function like a child. Not, like, in her head, but biologically, too. No kneecaps and all. Kids don't grow kneecaps until they're, like, seven."

"I'm relatively sure that (Y/N) has kneecaps," The Doctor replied, grinning. The two women burst out laughing, sharing wild smiles. Maybe this really was the best place for her and (Y/N)...

There was a loud crash and a scream in the distance. The Doctor immediately snapped to attention. She knew that voice - that was (Y/N)'s voice. (Y/N) had screamed. (Y/N). Had. Screamed. That wasn't good. Her baby needed help, and she needed help RIGHT NOW. The Doctor could barely control her urge to sprint off towards the noise until Missy was with her.

The two Time Ladies sprinted into the forest, the Doctor leading the charge. The landscape was rough and dangerous, heather and clumps of moss covering the ground, sticks and branches scattering the paths. Not that they stuck to the paths, of course - (Y/N) had wandered off, into the woods, and needed help. Why would they stick to the paths?

The Doctor was only barely aware of three extra pairs of footsteps behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Quinn, Ivy, and Natalie with them - of course they were, why wouldn't they be? They'd only just met the Doctor, but they were loyal to the point of death. That... wasn't good. No. Don't let these three brilliant, fantastic people end up like Rose, or Clara, or the Ponds.

Another scream in (Y/N)'s voice echoed from further down the path. The Doctor sped up, before tripping over seemingly thin air. She got back up immediately, ignoring the stinging pains in her ribs and head. (Y/N) came first. Not pain. Not tiredness. Not anybody or anything else. (Y/N). Came. First.

The five of them burst out into a large clearing. (Y/N) was bundled into the arms of an odd-looking alien - he or she was large, over 7 feet tall, and a patchwork between neon-blue and candyfloss-pink. They had mismatched features, too - human eyes, a goat's nose, a dog's snout, a snake's tongue.

"Drop her right now," The Doctor said. Her voice was cold and logical, hiding a roaring ocean of anger and emotions and motherhood and love and _give me my bloody baby back RIGHT NOW _just underneath the icy surface. "Give me my baby back, or you won't live to see another day."__

__The alien only chuckled in reply. The Doctor lunged to grab (Y/N) out of the alien's arms, but the alien simply backed onto a large, metallic spaceship, the hatch door closing. The Doctor whipped out the Sonic as Missy, Quinn, Ivy, and Natalie approached her slowly from behind, aiming at the spaceship, but it was too late. The ship took off, and it was gone in the blink of an eye._ _

__There was a beat of silence, before the Doctor fell to her knees, screaming out into the forest._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hands up who hates me now! :) Don't worry, (Y/N) will be perfectly safe within a few chapters... We hope. ;)
> 
> Comments feed my soul, so do kudos. Comments especially, though. Have a great day! :D


	19. The Fight Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor calls for help.

The Doctor stormed into the TARDIS, barely holding onto herself. She didn't lock the doors behind her, too angry to even think. She froze in front of the console, fists clenched, before finally screaming. She let out a wild howl, starting to sob and cry and scream and yell out in frustration because (Y/N) was _gone_.

What if (Y/N) was hurt? Or hungry? Or needed a nappy change? Or had nightmares? What if (Y/N) was sold off and never came back, or the process was somehow traumatically aborted, forcing (Y/N) to grow up, leaving her in a state of mental turmoil forever? What if (Y/N) lost hope in the Doctor?

It was all too much. The Doctor slammed one fist into the TARDIS wall, ignoring how her hand came away bloody and throbbing painfully. Adrenaline, or the Time Lord equivalent of such, pulsed through her, causing her to quiver and shake as she continued to fight against nothing in particular, bloodying herself and the TARDIS. She let out another loud, wordless cry, tears streaming down her face.

She felt nauseous, and exhausted, and in so much pain. Both her hearts were torn in two. It was worse than any physical pain she'd never felt. All she wanted was to paint the universe red with her own blood, and watch it set alight as the inhabitants that stole her child from her burned in agony. She felt numb and in agonising pain at the same time, stinging with sharp sadness and furiosity whilst cut by shards of nothingness and the void, on fire whilst dipped in ice water.

For the first time in her life, the Doctor felt completely ready and willing to kill. There was no mercy from her.

In the midst of her burning anger, she began to dart around the TARDIS console, ignoring the quickly-congealing spots of blood decorating the levers and buttons. She entered coordinates, pulled up the shields, and wondered why the TARDIS didn't have any weapons on-board. She was just about to press the button to take off, when a shy knock sounded at the door.

Before the Doctor could flare up even further, she was taken aback at the sight she saw. Missy was standing just inside the doors, with Quinn, Ivy, and Natalie just behind her.

"Don't do it," Missy said simply. "Don't. (Y/N) needs you right now. Not a killer. Please. If you could see yourself now, you'd cry. If you take off now and leave to kill whatever took (Y/N), you'd be disgusted with yourself when it was all over. You are the Doctor. You are (Y/N)'s mother." She paused, before continuing, her voice pained. "Don't become what I was."

The Doctor froze. For the first time since (Y/N) was taken, she looked around. And she saw. She saw the bloody patches all over herself and the TARDIS walls. She saw the dents in the metal. She saw her broken, bloody hands, and felt how her throat had gone raw from crying and screaming. She saw her red, swollen eyes in her reflection, and her tear-glistening cheeks.

This... This wasn't right. Missy was right. (Y/N) needed her right now. She didn't need the murderer who set the world alight. She didn't need the killer who would tear any oppositional force limb from limb. She didn't need the screaming psychopath who killed because it was Tuesday. She needed the kind voice in her ear, the gentle hands holding her tightly, the bright soul touching her own.

(Y/N) needed the Doctor.

And the Doctor was her.

She spun around, practically marching over to the doors, and hugged Missy tightly.

"Thank you," She practically choked out, before letting go, and turning to Quinn, Ivy, and Natalie. "And thank you, too. Thank you all so, so much." The Doctor ran back up to the console, a small smile on her face. "Quinn, Ivy, Natalie - I need you to organise a party for me. A welcome home party for (Y/N). And Missy? You're with me."

As everybody took their places, the Doctor smiled widely to herself. (Y/N) was coming home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first envelope landed in the hands of its recipient within seconds. By the time the message on the card, _I need your help._ had been barely read, the two people in the room had looked at each other in delight. By the time the TARDIS materialised outside, struggling to support itself in the dimension it was in, the pink-and-yellow girl and the man in the pinstripe suit were ready and raring to go.

Rose Tyler and the Metacrisis Doctor were on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second envelope took a little longer to arrive, but arrived at just the right time. On its arrival, the envelope was torn open like a flash. "I need your help. Huh." A smile quickly followed, and the message-card was dropped, a trenchcoat-clad man racing outside as the TARDIS materialised.

Jack Harkness was on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The third envelope landed through a door within moments, its recipient quickly finding and reading it. There was confusion to start with, but after the familiar noise of the TARDIS began echoing around the area, all doubt disappeared. Two companions, from very different backgrounds, were on the Doctor's side.

Sarah-Jane Smith and K-9 were on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The fourth envelope had to wait a little while for its recipient to finish a shift. Bright white fabric contrasted against blue paper as it was picked up, and read wordlessly, before being dropped with a gasp. The TARDIS materialised outside, and as it did so, the recipient took a moment to think, before heading outside. The Doctor needed help.

Martha Jones was on board. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The fifth envelope was helped along by a kindly old man who saw its sender in the stars. It took a while for her to remember, but when she did, the envelope's recipient couldn't help but cry. "Yes, Doctor, of course I'll help!" The TARDIS materialised outside that very moment, and the recipient ran towards it, greeting the Doctor with a hug.

Donna Noble was on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sixth envelope almost didn't arrive, the mail having been nearly skipped that day. However, once it arrived, it was welcomed with a sob and a smile, not caring who it came from - although it was all too well known. The recipient waited outside for what felt like hours for the familiar sight to arrive, and when the TARDIS materialised, she calmly stepped inside.

River Song was on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The seventh envelope had to cross many borders to find its way to the chosen address, but when it did, it was welcomed with open arms. The handwriting was recognised, the timing perfect, and the recipients ready and willing to help. When the TARDIS materialised, it took a little while to work out what was going on, but once it was all sorted out, the project was underway.

Amy Pond and Rory Williams were on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The eighth envelope landed in the last place you'd expect, but its recipient was willing and pure. She risked herself, putting herself into pure danger to find her other home. When the TARDIS materialised around her, it was a shock, but it worked. The recipient had been saved, and damn was she thankful.

Clara Oswald was on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ninth envelope arrived with a gift inside, a gift to help its recipient find her mark. The recipient knew what she had to do, and did it. She said goodbye, and promised her return soon. She went to find the TARDIS, and found it. She didn't even hesitate when she saw the Doctor. It was finally time.

Bill Potts was on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The tenth and final envelope came with the deepest of love, and a murmur of a kiss into the paper. It's three recipients were shocked and overjoyed. They all knew what choice they would make immediately, and when the TARDIS materialised outside, they were all ready to go. Three hugs and three hellos later, and the recipients joined the journey.

Yasmin Khan, Ryan Sinclair, and Graham O'Brien were on board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

17 were on board.

15 were companions.

Two were Time Ladies.

One was the Doctor.

They were all there to save (Y/N).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was, quite possibly, the most emotional thing I've ever written.
> 
> Comments feed my muse, so does kudos. Have a great day! :D


	20. The Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) is rescued.

"First things first," The Doctor started, her voice loud, as she darted around the TARDIS console, "I've gotta say, I'm _very_ happy that you're all here, you hear me?" She paused, looking around with a huge smile on her face. "I've missed you all. Missed you all so, so much."

"We've all missed you, too," Rose said simply, speaking for all of them. "I don't doubt it."

"But we won't miss you if you pull something like that again," Donna interjected, her voice severe.

"Okay, I won't," The Doctor agreed. "But we're all here today to rescue somebody very dear to me - (Y/N). You all know who she is, it was in the letters I sent you. We have to rescue her, and we have to rescue her _now_."

"What took her?" Jack asked.

"The Odites," The Doctor replied. "They were created via genetic transplants - blowing people up with DNA bombs, pouring the resulting gunk into moulds, and seeing what comes out, basically. Once they were created, they revolted, and they've been terrorising galaxies ever since. They're like the Judoon, but nastier - space mafia, basically."

"And they've taken (Y/N)?" Amy asked.

"Yes," The Doctor replied. "But we're going to get her back. Even if I die in the process."

"No," Everybody in the room chorused at once.

"We aren't going to let you die," Rose said. "Anybody here would save you in a heartbeat, you hear me? A heartbeat."

The Doctor paused, looking around. Missy, from... everywhere, really. Sarah-Jane and K-9, from way back when. Rose and Jack, of her Ninth form. Martha and Donna, of her Tenth form. Amy, Rory, and River, of her Eleventh form. Clara and Bill, of her Twelth form. And finally, Yaz, Ryan, and Graham - her most recent companions. She loved them all so dearly, and in so many different ways. Some siblings, some dear friends... and some lovers. And to think that they'd all save her in a heartbeat. They'd come running to her to save (Y/N), a girl they'd never heard of before.

Her hearts might be beginning to heal.

"This is the plan," The Doctor said, pulling up a holographic blueprint of the Odite ship. "I've worked out that (Y/N) is being held in the ship's prison, here. We're going to split ourselves among my TARDIS, and Missy's. First, Jack, River, Missy, Amy, and Rory will be dropped in at the north-starboard port - they're going to start clearing out the ship of Odites. Then, Sarah-Jane, K-9, Martha, Graham, and Ryan will be dropped at the northern port of the ship - they're going to disable security.

After that, Rose, Clara, Yaz, and I will infiltrate the ship, starting to make our way down towards the prison. Jack, River, Missy, Amy, and Rory will rendezvous with us on level 2, before heading down to level 0. Sarah-Jane, K-9, Martha, Graham, and Ryan will remain on the upper decks in order to control security systems, doors, cameras, et cetera. Understood?"

"Understood," Each of her companions repeated back in turn.

"Good!" The Doctor announced. "Let's go!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack, River, Missy, Amy, and Rory had just been dropped into the north-starboard port. The ship was swarming with Odites, and they had barely taken out the first wave of twenty or more of the jigsaw-like creatures before the second came. They were all quickly running out of ammo, and none of them could help but wonder if they'd bitten off more than they could chew.

Finally, the Odites stopped coming.

"Level 4 clear of Odites," Jack radioed through to the Doctor.

"Sending Sarah-Jane's team in now," The reply came. Jack turned around, beckoning the group forwards. The five of them continued onwards, each one reloading their weapons as they did so. The Odite ship was incredibly dangerous, they all knew that - they had to be prepared every minute they were there.

"This is the worst idea the Doctor has ever had," River said suddenly. "And that idiot has had plenty of terrible ideas."

"I agree," Missy sighed. "I've known her since her first face, and there isn't a day when she doesn't try to do something stupid."

"Did I ever tell you about the time when the Doctor told a hivemind swarm of creatures to go to its room?" Jack piped up. He proceeded to tell the long and dangerous story of the Empty Children, and how the Doctor, when cornered, had yelled at the Empty Children to go to its room. By the end, everybody was laughing.

"She once erased herself from existence just to save the world," Amy mused.

"And was willing to kill herself to save over ten thousand people," River continued.

"And almost sacrificed herself to save an entire town," Rory said.

"She was tortured for a year to save the world," Jack said quietly.

"She saved my life," Missy finished. The five of them walked in silence, thinking. The Doctor was absolutely crazy... But she was theirs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is the worst idea ever," Graham commented as the four companions and K-9 slipped into the abandoned security control room, K-9 being carried by Sarah-Jane.

"We're helping the Doctor," Martha snapped. "Stop being so selfish."

"It's just that there must be a more sensible way to do this," Graham protested.

"Be quiet," Sarah-Jane mumbled, pulling out a chair in front of the computer. "I'm trying to hack the systems."

The other three companions stood still, whispering among themselves as Sarah-Jane hacked into the Odite security systems, assisted by K-9. Finally, she stood up, switching chairs. Another fifteen minutes or so passed, before she finally called out, her gaze trained on the screen.

"We're in, signal the Doctor," She commanded.

"Main systems clear," All three of them immediately signalled through their radios.

"Moving in now," The reply came. With a sigh of relief, each one of them sat down, awaiting the Doctor's next commands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Doctor and her team had boarded the ship at the north-starboard entrance, on level three. Nobody was yet to say a single word, all four women simply making their way down. They were glad to see that Jack's team had already cleared out the level they were on - none of them particularly wanted to encounter an aggressive Odite.

The four of them descended down to level two, which was also cleared out - and their rendezvous spot with Jack, River, Rory, Amy, and Missy. The Doctor stopped in front of a locked door, which promptly opened.

"The others are doing their jobs," Clara commented. "You know, I really should be on the hacking team."

"We have to find (Y/N), and there's nobody I'd trust more with her than you three," The Doctor said calmly. "Among yourselves, you've seen five of my faces. That's a huge feat. You three have seen me through from the Time War to now. Be proud of yourselves."

Rose gave Clara and Yasmin a smile as the Doctor took the lead.

"She's right, y'know," Rose said in a hushed voice. "I've seen her ninth and tenth faces. Clara, you've seen her eleventh and twelfth. Yaz, you've seen her thirteenth." Clara shrugged, whilst Yaz smiled back.

As they walked through, another group turned the corner. Jack and Missy led, whilst River and Amy were right behind them, Rory lagging behind somewhat.

"Good to see you," Jack said. "We still have level one to go, and then the prison decks should be unguarded because of our... unexpected boarding. We'll deal with any guards, though."

"Let's go," The Doctor said. With that, the nine of them continued onwards. They reached a small-ish lift, which they proceeded to cram inside, causing immense annoyment.

"Who's got their elbow jammed in my ribcage?" Amy asked, wriggling slightly.

"Sorry, that's me," Yaz called out. "Clara is pressing against my left arm and pinning me to the wall."

"Only because Jack's trying to push me into the Doctor's back!" Clara replied, annoyed.

"You lot, stop that," The Doctor huffed. "We're almost on level one. Be ready."

The nine of them practically fell out of the lift, and jumped into action. They immediately separated into groups of three - Amy, Rory, and River; Clara, Missy, and Jack; and Yaz, Rose, and the Doctor. They began to make short work of the Odites, fighting both with weapons and melee-style.

They began to sweep through the hallways, the third team assisting from above. It was quickly made clear that the Odites stood no chance against the nine of them, and finally, they made their way through to the lift on the other side of the floor.

"Take us to where (Y/N) is being held," The Doctor ordered once they were all stuffed inside. The lift began to... go upwards? Once they disembarked, though, it was immediately obvious where they were.

A large Odite wearing a shimmering crown and tended to by smaller Odites sat in a throne. There was a small screen next to the throne, and a golden door inset into the wall at the back of the room. The room was decorated with beautiful tapestries and decorations, presumably stolen from other civilisations.

"The queen Odite," The Doctor breathed quietly. She wasted no time, storming forwards, her eyes raging with anger. "You stole my daughter," she said loudly, her voice full of rage. "Where is my daughter!?" She practically screamed, a terrifying glint in her eye. The queen Odite simply chuckled.

"Why would we give you that simple-minded creature back?" The queen Odite asked, smiling. "It is a _brilliant_ source of regeneration energy," It purred. "And, of course, entertainment."

"I'll tell you why," The Doctor snarled. Each of her eight companions stepped forwards, clustering behind her. "Because you stole my daughter away from me. You stole my baby. And any mother knows how angry I am right now. You had your chance. You could've given me my child back. But no. And now... you will pay. I will scour the universe for any and all of your kind, and I will kill them dead. I will let (Y/N) heal, and I will raise an army, and I will crush any being who has ever worked for you before, do you hear me? And you... you will die a painful death. Because my baby is gone, and you took her."

The Doctor spun around, looking her companions directly in the eye. Without any further prompting, each and every one of them raised their gun, switching ammo to special bullets that Jack had given them. DNA bomb bullets. And each and every one of them shot their bullet right into the queen Odite's heart. They stood there, watching, as the queen Odite - and every other Odite on the ship - turned to mush. It would be painful. And gruesome. And worth it for (Y/N).

Without missing a beat, the Doctor broke through the golden door at the back of the room. She gasped, freezing at the sight that she saw. (Y/N) was crammed into a tiny little cage, strapped up into a strange machine, pumping glowing regeneration energy - all of the energy that the Doctor had given to (Y/N) - out of her. (Y/N) was screaming and crying, and the Doctor lunged forwards, opening up the cage. She all but tore the regeneration energy line out of (Y/N)'s arm, pulling (Y/N) up into her arms.

"It's okay!" She exclaimed, pressing (Y/N) into her chest. "It's okay, sweetheart, it's okay, I'm here now. I'm here, I'm here, I'm here..." She was barely aware of the rest of her team - including Sarah-Jane's team - piling into the large room, watching her soothe (Y/N). She gently lifted (Y/N)'s head up to rest on her shoulder, and as if by magic, (Y/N) latched on in order to nurse. The Doctor turned to her team, grinning. "Okay, gang. Let's go home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The seventeen - eighteen, now - people piled onto the TARDIS, everybody laughing and cheering. The Doctor had agreed to let everybody stay for a little while, and after that, drop in and out mostly as they pleased. Amy and Rory were especially eager to be the fun aunt and uncle to (Y/N) ("Doctor, it's our duty as your past companions to love on (Y/N) for you!").

As they entered, the Doctor spun around, detaching (Y/N) from her regeneration energy gland, and handing her to Amy, who took (Y/N) from her with a smile. Amy, always the natural mother, had taken to the idea of Gallifreyan reproduction like a duck to water, and had started completely adoring (Y/N) almost immediately.

The Doctor started walking around, checking on each member of her team. The TARDIS Fam was now extended to everybody - all of her companions from her ninth face to this one, plus Sarah-Jane and K-9. She cared so much for each and every one of them. Once she returned, she took (Y/N) back from Amy.

"She's a good kid," Amy said, smiling. "Even if she isn't physically a kid.

"I know," The Doctor replied. "I love her. I love her so, so much." She paused, looking around. "And I love all of you, too. I love you all so, so much. Thank you, all of you." She paused again, before continuing. "Thank you for what you've done for me."

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO HOO! 2,223 words, baby! Thoughts?
> 
> Comments feed my muse, so do kudos. Have a great day! :D


	21. Christmas At Paternoster Row

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor does Christmas.

The next few weeks were very quiet. Very, very quiet. (Y/N) had spent most of her time asleep, and when she was awake, she was in a very young headspace - two years old or younger. There were several of the Doctor's former companions who had started helping out with (Y/N), too - Rose, River, Amy, and Clara had taken up positions in (Y/N)'s life, as well as Jack and Yaz. The Doctor was very thankful for this - they were the last to stay behind, and she'd dropped everybody else, save for Rory, back in their own times.

The Doctor had been sitting in the library, happily reading through a book from Earth - The Hunger Games, a very interesting story, in all honesty - when she had heard footsteps behind her. She looked up to see who it was, half-expecting it to be Missy, only to see Clara behind her. She smiled, shifting around so that she was in a kneeling position, looking at Clara.

"Heya," The Doctor greeted her, grinning.

"Hey," Clara replied, leaning up against a bookshelf. "Nice book you got there. I had to read that for school when I was a kid."

"The Hunger Games?" The Doctor asked. "I didn't think anybody would read this for school."

"Well, I did," Clara replied. "I came to tell you that it's almost Christmas on Earth. December 1st, I'd say. Maybe (Y/N) would want to do something."

"I don't know..." The Doctor murmured. "Her biological family was abusive. I don't know if Christmas is very happy in her eyes or not. Maybe it would be best to just not do anything at all."

"You could take her to Victorian London for the holidays," Clara suggested. "I know that Vastra, Jenny, and Strax would be happy to see you again. Plus, it's practically Christmas central, Victorian London - nice and snowy, the setting of practically a million novels. Ask (Y/N) about it."

"She's down for a nap right now," The Doctor pointed out. "You helped me get her to sleep."

"She woke up a few minutes ago," Clara said. "Amy's changing and feeding her for you whilst I talk to you."

The Doctor sighed. It did make sense - it would be nice to take (Y/N) to meet some old friends, and reintroduce her to the concept of Christmas in one. Besides, she could always attach an advanced perception filter, or APF for short, onto (Y/N). It would physically transform (Y/N) into the current age of her headspace, allowing them to interact with society unhindered. She eventually nodded, standing up.

"Okay," The Doctor said. "I'll talk to (Y/N) about it. But no promises."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It turns out that the Doctor's unsurity was quickly overruled by (Y/N) putting her foot down whilst in adult headspace, combined with Clara checking with the Paternoster Gang and making sure that they were welcome - which was met with a resounding _yes_. So, the Doctor - poor old her - had ended up with (Y/N) in a headspace aged three and a half, whilst trying to work out the logistics of everything she was trying to do.

Clara had ended up being the last to stay behind. Missy had volunteered to stay and look after the TARDIS, so Clara was going to go out and spend Christmas with the Doctor and (Y/N). The Doctor had found an APF for (Y/N), and had succesfully attached it on a belt around (Y/N)'s waist under her clothes. Luckily, the APF also gave (Y/N) appropriate clothes for her age, and could be programmed for different time periods.

The Doctor had just stepped out of the TARDIS and into the snowy landscape of Victorian London at Christmas time, (Y/N) grasped firmly in her arms. Holly, mistletoe, and other decorations adorned the houses and fences, wreathes and bells hung on doors and candles sat in windows. Golden and white lights shone out into the street, and bright white, crystalline snowflakes fell around the three of them. (Y/N) reached out with one hand, and it suddenly occured to the Doctor that (Y/N) hadn't seen snow whilst aged down before.

The three of them began to travel through the London streets. Snow crunched beneath their feet, and occasionally, the Doctor would set (Y/N) down so that the younger girl could walk a little way on her own. However, being both physically and mentally little, (Y/N) tired quickly, so most of the journey was spent swapping (Y/N) between the Doctor and Clara to be carried.

Paternoster Row was easy to find, and the Doctor quickly pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket, where she had the exact address noted down. _13 Paternoster Row, London, 1895._ She should've remembered, honestly - it was only one regeneration since she'd visited. Regeneration did sometimes cause amnesia, though, and she wanted to be sure of where she was meant to go.

They arrived quickly, and Clara ran ahead, leaving the Doctor to walk slightly behind, not wanting to jostle (Y/N). Clara wasted no time knocking, and stepped back a little. The door opened almost immediately, and the Doctor sped up slightly when she saw who had opened it - Jenny Flint herself.

"Jenny!" The Doctor greeted her, smiling. "It's good to see you."

"Same to you, Miss," Jenny replied. "And thank you for telling us that you'd regenerated, by the way - and about your good news."

"Ah, yes," The Doctor said. "This is (Y/N). I talked to her about this whilst she was in adult headspace earlier today." The Doctor had explained what was going on with (Y/N) earlier that day via notes, calls, and extremely complicated communication. "This is her first Christmas not being completely human."

"I'm glad that she's adjusted," Jenny replied. "You three come on in, it must be freezing out there. And don't let Strax get his hands on (Y/N), okay? He doesn't know how your kind's children work, only how humans do - he might break her."

"I don't doubt it, personally," Clara cut in.

The Doctor and Clara stepped inside. The Doctor immediately was glad that she'd agreed to bring (Y/N) here - the house felt as amazing as the TARDIS usually did, and it generally felt... homely. Like Christmas did, on the inside, but a little bit warmer. She honestly couldn't wait to get (Y/N) properly settled in. Christmas was going to be perfect this year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2000 views, guys! 2000 views! Thank you all so much! :D
> 
> So... Yes! I'm writing some Paternoster Gang action! To be entirely honest with you, it'll probably be mostly fluff, LOL. I'm still terrified of messing them all up, TBH. Please, leave feedback!
> 
> Comments feed my muse and my soul, so do kudos. Have a great day! :D


	22. Christmas Preparations, Or Three Ways That The Doctor Scarred (Y/N) And The Paternoster Gang For Life.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doctor, no.

"I've got to say, Doctor, that wasn't the best of ideas."

"What do you mean?"

"You decided that baking gingerbread with a five-year-old in 1895 was _absolutely_ a good idea."

"Jenny encouraged me. And helped with baking."

"That's no excuse. You're the Time Lord in this situation, and you should've known better than to do something like that."

The Doctor paused, continuing to engage in the several-minute-long, borderline staring competition that she and Vastra were happening. Behind her, the kitchen looked like a bomb made entirely out of gingerbread had gone off. (Y/N) had come out the worst - the currently five-year-old girl had wet gingerbread dough down her front, and her hair was white with flour. For all the Doctor knew, flour didn't even go in gingerbread. But it was true, Jenny _had_ encouraged the project, and she _had_ helped out.

"I still think that it was a good idea."

"Doctor... It wasn't."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be entirely honest, involving (Y/N) in decorating a Christmas tree in an era where open candles were commonplace hadn't been the best idea ever. (Y/N) had been so excited, though, and how could any of them resist her puppy dog eyes? Especially her three-year-old headspace puppy dog eyes. Especially at Christmas. So that was how they had ended up in a situation where (Y/N) was, quite literally, on fire.

Luckily, however, the situation didn't last very long, due to Clara's quick thinking and a bucket of water. So now, they had a three-year-old (Y/N), completely doused in water, standing next to the Christmas tree, which was also partially soaked. A few beats of silence passed, before Jenny turned to the Doctor, eyes wide, and said one, simple thing.

"Doctor, what in God's name were you THINKING!?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Don't say it."

"But-"

"I said _don't say it_."

"I did it, if I say I did it or not, y'know."

"I know, but I really don't want to deal with the consequences right now."

"Vastra, c'mon! It wasn't really my fault, I mean-"

"Doctor, you have quite possibly scarred (Y/N) for life."

"I didn't think that taking her Christmas shopping would end like that!"

"What, like you didn't think that Australia 7.9 would end up like that?"

"That was one time! One time, I tell you!"

"The point I am making, Doctor, is that Jenny, Strax, and Clara are now having to deal with (Y/N) throwing a huge tantrum because you didn't know what "Keep Out" means."

"Ugh. Okay."

"Merry Christmas, Doctor."

"Merry Christmas to you, too. Let's hope that the actual day doesn't turn out quite as awfully."

" _Yes_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short, humorous, filler chapter because I have writer's block. Does anybody have any ideas for after the Christmas plot is over? Thanks.
> 
> Comments feed my soul, so does kudos. Thanks for reading, and have a great day! :D


	23. Merry Christmas!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and (Y/N) celebrate Christmas together for the first time.

_**IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!**_ "

A multitude of moans, groans, and mumbles were heard throughout 13 Paternoster Row as a high-pitched, excited screech echoed through the hallways. Footsteps resounded in the hallways - some fast and excited, others slow. Eventually, the Doctor emerged to gather up an extremely excitable, currently four-year-old (Y/N), still half-exhausted. At this point, Vastra, Jenny, and Clara had also woken up, and after a while, they had all gathered for the day ahead.

"And they called it _silent_ night," Jenny mumbled sleepily.

"Exactly," Vastra said. "This, my dear, is why we are never having children."

"I'm highly inclined to join you both in the realm of never having kids," Clara said, looking surprisingly shellshocked for the situation.

"I'm so glad that we sent Strax to Glasgow for the holidays," Jenny said, glancing over at the Doctor, who was attempting to wrestle (Y/N) into clothing other than pyjamas. "He isn't fit to be around children."

"He can't tell the difference between genders," Clara pointed out. "Do you honestly think that he'd be able to tell the difference between ages?"

The three women shivered heavily, imagining just what would go down between Strax and a child. Yes. They were very, very, _very_ glad that Strax was in the magical land of alcohol and wrestling - also known as Scotland - until after Christmas was over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm just telling you, this is why you don't buy presents for somebody who's likely to be more interested in the wrapping paper," Vastra said, gesturing to the spot beside the tree where (Y/N) was buried under a veritable mountain of newspaper and brown paper that had been used for wrapping paper. Meanwhile, the Doctor was staring at the small number of gifts she'd bought for (Y/N) - the gifts that had, so far, gone unappreciated.

"No, no, she'll love them!" The Doctor said brightly. She was probably trying to fool herself, or maybe (Y/N), more than Vastra. The Silurian somehow could see through any and all lies, so there was literally no use trying to convince her that (Y/N) would, one day, enjoy the gifts.

"She won't," Clara said frankly from her seat nearby. "Doctor, (Y/N) probably doesn't even know what you got her. She is definitely more engaged in ripping up the paper." The Doctor simply stared off into space, cross-legged on the floor, trying to convince herself that A: (Y/N) had actually noticed the gifts more than the wrapping paper, and B: The candle suspiciously near her head wasn't about to light her hair on fire.

"You aren't gonna convince her," Jenny sighed.

(Y/N), oblivious to the drama unfolding around her, simply rubbed a piece of newspaper on her face, transferring the ink onto her skin. The Doctor sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house-"

"But it isn't the night before Christmas, Mama. It's Christmas day."

"Be quiet, (Y/N). Let your mother speak."

"Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care-"

"But we didn't have stockings this year."

"Pretend that we did. In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there-"

"Who's Saint Nicholas?"

"He's like Santa, but the kind of Santa that annoying people in the Church like."

"Oh, okay."

"Vastra!"

"What?"

"Be quiet, both of you. I'm trying to read a poem to (Y/N). The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads-"

"What are sugar-plums? And why are they dancing?"

"It's a metaphor, (Y/N). It's a metaphor."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"I give up!"

"How long did it take, Clara?"

"Five minutes and thirty-six seconds."

"Wait, you were counting?"

"We had a bet on for how long you'd last. I voted two minutes, Jenny said seven minutes, and Vastra said four minutes."

"You had a _bet_!?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Doctor sighed, following (Y/N) out into the rapidly falling snow. She'd just finished wrestling (Y/N) into warm clothing after the girl had noticed that it was snowing outside, and demanded to go out. (Y/N) promptly fell over, but luckily, the Doctor managed to catch her almost immediately, avoiding a tantrum. It was even more difficult to keep tabs on the energetic toddler when her body fit her headspace - she'd been surprised many times by the places a child could fit into.

As she paced down the empty London streets, (Y/N) and Clara in tow, she thought back on the past day. It had actually been relatively fun, despite the antics that everybody else - and, admittedly, herself - had gotten up to. If you ignored (Y/N) getting doused in brandy, and the Doctor getting stuck to an icy windowsill, and Vastra being intent on telling (Y/N) ridiculous lies about Christmas, it had gone pretty well.

Probably.

Possibly.

Maybe.

Perhaps.

But it had been _fun_ , and that was what mattered. Wasn't that what Christmas was really about, when you truly got down to it? If you looked past the presents, and the Church trying to inject religion into every tiny nook and cranny, and the annoying economicicity of it all, Christmas was really about eating and drinking well, laughing loudly, and having fun with your friends and family.

Being kind, as well. That was what it was about, too. Being kind and fun and laughing until your belly ached with whoever happened to cross your path. And to be honest, to her, to the Doctor, that wasn't just Christmas. That was (Y/N) in a nutshell. She had a daughter now, and a responsibility to teach (Y/N), and every other new Time Lord, what kindness and love truly was. What kindness was, how and where to find it, and if they couldn't find it, how to create it for themselves.

And so that may be, but that was the future, and a problem for another Doctor. Right now, this Doctor was watching her own daughter, her own little (Y/N), dance amongst the snowflakes, with three friends she'd thought she would never see again by her side. Her tummy was full, and she had given and received presents, and she had loved, laughed, and been merry. She had loved and been loved that day.

The Doctor's face broke into a grin, and with the most wonderful joy, she called into the mid-afternoon, snowy Christmas scene. "Merry Christmas to everybody out there, and happy New Year!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and a VERY happy New Year to you all! :D


	24. Binary Vascular System

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) begins to grow a binary vascular system.

Silence.

The endless, winding halls and rooms of the TARDIS were dark, and near-infinitely silent. The three current occupants were all asleep - a very rare occasion for the Doctor, although since she'd become a mother to (Y/N), she'd found that her sleep schedule was approaching " Almost every night" rather than "Once or twice a month".

The past few weeks had been pretty much normal. After re-boarding the TARDIS and sending Clara back home, the Doctor and Missy had taken on caring for (Y/N) full-time. No messing around with saving planets or visiting friends. The TARDIS had been parked firmly in the Time Vortex, and there it would stay until (Y/N) was a bit older. At least toddler age. Old enough to appreciate the beauty of the universe through newborn, Gallifreyan eyes.

Suddenly, an earsplitting scream echoed through the TARDIS. The Doctor immediately sat straight up in bed, fumbling for the lights. She Sonic-ed the lights on, before leaping out of bed, and starting to make her way through the TARDIS corridors. The lights came on as she walked underneath them, leaving a trail of light all the way to the Doctor's destination - Her dear (Y/N)'s nursery.

The Doctor gently pushed open the door, flicking the gently glowing, deep orange lights on. She walked over to (Y/N)'s cot, picking up a still loudly squalling (Y/N). She pulled (Y/N) in close to her chest, guiding her to begin nursing. Thankfully, this quickly occupied (Y/N)'s mouth, allowing the Doctor to begin calming her. Speaking of calming, (Y/N) was never normally this not-calm.

(Y/N) had never been fussy, even in the early days, when she still hadn't fully dropped out of her adult headspace. The Doctor had ensured that she never did anything that could cause colic or a stomach upset, and they hadn't been anywhere in days, so it couldn't be a cold. (Y/N)'s nappy was dry and clean, and she was nursing right now, so... Oh. That's what it was.

"What _is_ going on with that infernal child of yours?" Missy asked, appearing at the door. "She was fine last night, and the night before. Please don't tell me that she had a headspace slip. Rassilon, I hate dealing with headspace slips..."

"She's growing her second heart, Missy," The Doctor said quietly. "It must only be in bud formation right now, but it still hurts them." After around six months to a year of consuming regeneration energy - the equivalent of a human pregnancy - a Gallifreyan child would begin to develop a binary vascular system. During this time, the child's ribcage is forced to expand, sometimes bruising bones or internal organs in the process. All in all, it was a very painful time. On Gallifrey, this period was often referred to as "Birthing" - a painful period, where the child stopped being an adult human, and started being a baby Time Lord or Lady.

"Oh!" Missy exclaimed, obviously surprised. "The poor thing... We should've realised it was almost time for the Birthing, shouldn't we? I'll fetch her some painkillers. Going to have to be careful around human medicines, though. Too many of them have aspirin." Missy disappeared, the shadow she was casting over the Doctor and (Y/N) vanishing.

The Doctor carried (Y/N) through to her own bedroom, laying the younger girl down on her bed. She leant over (Y/N), running her hands down (Y/N)'s ribcage, half testing the condition of her ribs, half massaging away the pain caused by the rapidly expanding muscles and bones. This was growing pains on a whole new level, and the Doctor wanted to make sure that (Y/N) was comfortable. Missy walked into the room, examining a bottle of liquid painkillers.

"Does paracetamol have aspirin in it?" Missy asked, not looking up. "Somebody took the ingredients label off this one. I don't want to accidentally poison (Y/N)."

"I don't think it does," The Doctor replied. "Martha gave me paracetamol once, back in the day. It didn't do me any harm. Tell you what, it'll be fine - we can always zap (Y/N) back to Gallifrey for treatment if we really have to."

"I guess so," Missy agreed, opening the bottle. "What do we do? Mix it with your expressed regeneration energy, or what? I always just gave the kids I had some expensive drug that the caretaker took and was passed to the child through the regeneration energy. Can't remember the name now."

"Yeah," The Doctor said, continuing to massage (Y/N)'s ribcage. "I remember seeing that happen when I took (Y/N) to get her vaccinations on Gallifrey. There'll be a bottle of the stuff in the kitchen, mix it in a 2:1 ratio, energy to painkiller. That should do the job nicely."

Missy nodded, leaving the room. She returned a few minutes later with a baby bottle full of the mixture. The Doctor took the bottle, giving Missy a thankful nod and a smile, before sitting down next to (Y/N), slipping the bottle into her mouth. (Y/N) happily drank the mixture, and both Time Ladies let out a sigh of relief.

"Hopefully, she'll get back to sleep okay," The Doctor murmured. She held the baby bottle with one hand, gently massaging (Y/N)'s ribs with the other. The process of growing a second heart, known as either "Expansion", "Birthing", or "Duplication" colloquially, was a difficult and painful experience for both caretaker and child, despite being a celebrated experience. That said, much of the celebrating was done after the point where the caretaker could get a peaceful night's sleep...

The Doctor extracted the bottle from (Y/N)'s mouth after it was emptied. She felt Missy sit down on the bed next to her, watching (Y/N). Both Time Ladies silently watched (Y/N)'s chest rise and fall, ensuring that the bundle of cells that would grow into a second heart wasn't impeding (Y/N)'s breathing. That sort of issue required surgery if it went unnoticed or uncorrected for too long.

"Are you going to put her back in her cot?" Missy asked, not bothering to make eye contact.

"Nah," The Doctor replied, resuming massaging (Y/N)'s ribs. "I think that I'll co-sleep her until she's done birthing. She'll be fussy a lot, and I don't want to bother you."

"I'm (Y/N)'s aunt. We were the only Gallifreyans left in existence for over 500 years. I'm never leaving either of your stupid sides," Missy pointed out, huffing slightly.

"Aw, you love us," The Doctor joked, laughing quietly.

"Of course I do," Missy replied, smirking. "I'm going back to bed now. Call me if you need anything."

"Will do," The Doctor replied. Missy stood up, leaving the room. The Doctor sighed, slipping back into bed alongside (Y/N). She pulled her little one close into her chest, allowing (Y/N) to freely nurse from the regeneration energy gland on her free shoulder. The Doctor sighed happily, snuggling into (Y/N), and falling asleep. A few hours later, (Y/N) woke with a cry, the Doctor awakening with a jump. She sighed, sitting up to fetch more painkillers. "It's gonna be a long, long night..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody, and happy 2019! I'm sorry for not getting another chapter out, but I have pretty bad writer's block at the moment. Any and all ideas are fully accepted!
> 
> Anyway, a lot of you wanted a chapter on the biology side of the process, so here you are! I hope that this suffices. Plus, an exciting announcement: I'm currently working on a dictionary for the Energy Children universe! It should be up within a few weeks.
> 
> Thank you to everybody for sticking with me throughout the past few weeks! I hope you enjoyed, love you all, and I hope you have a great day! :D


	25. Cuddly Toys And A Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revelations are had.

The Doctor sighed, staring off into the distance as (Y/N) slept, sprawled against the Doctor's chest. It had been a few days since (Y/N) had started Birthing, and the struggle hadn't decreased since. If anything, it had become worse - (Y/N) was constantly crying out in fear and pain, not being able to understand what was going on amongst the different sensory and mental inputs. The only thing that had really worked was the Doctor wrapping (Y/N) up in her coat, tightening the fabric around (Y/N)'s chest. It appeared that the combined familiarity of the garment and the pressure around her chest calmed (Y/N) to the point where the pain didn't bother her quite as much.

Missy had been indispensable during all of this. It was pretty difficult to mix painkillers in a suitable ratio whilst a crying baby was taking up your attention, and it had really shown. Missy had decided to keep the Doctor firmly away from the painkillers after several incidents, mixing and administrating all of (Y/N)'s pain medication on her own. However, Missy had been completely missing from the TARDIS since the previous evening, which panicked the Doctor.

A lot.

The Doctor carefully stood up, lifting (Y/N) as she did so, so that the young girl remained safely leaned against her chest, nursing happily. She slowly exited (Y/N)'s nursery, starting to make her way to the control room. Hopefully, Missy would be in there. The pitter-patter of paws came to her ears, and the Doctor turned around to see Avocado trotting up to her. Missy had taken over caring for Avocado, as well - there wasn't much time for a dog in-between caring for (Y/N). The Doctor vaguely wondered if they should take Avocado to be re-homed.

She continued down the darkened corridor, Avocado padding along at her side. She finally entered the TARDIS console room, and perched herself on one of the benches around the edges. Missy wasn't in here, either. Maybe they'd run out of suitable pain medication? It was the only reasonable conclusion that the Doctor could make. Despite her tendency towards betrayal, Missy would never, ever abandon a parent and their Birthing child. Not in a trillion years.

The doors to the TARDIS creaked open, and every muscle in the Doctor's body tensed for action. Was somebody trying to hurt (Y/N)? Before she could act, however, Missy's silhouetted figure appeared in the doorway. The Doctor immediately relaxed, going to stand up, but Missy gestured for her to stay sitting. She approached the Doctor, and it was eventually clear that she was carrying a small paper bag.

"Don't tell me that you bought another puppy," The Doctor joked. "We've got our work cut out with Avocado and (Y/N) already."

"Of course I didn't," Missy huffed, sitting down next to the Doctor. (Y/N) stirred slightly at the new presence in the room, but otherwise stayed happily nursing. "I bought (Y/N) something from Earth. Human children own them a lot, apparently. It might help calm her." Missy passed the paper bag to the Doctor, who pulled out the contents almost immediately.

The contents of the bag was a medium-sized, cuddly Border Collie toy. The tag was already removed, and the black-and-white fur of the toy was long and soft, made for small children. No matter how diligently the Doctor inspected the toy, she could find no safety hazards. It was perfectly safe. She looked towards Missy, smiling.

"Thank you," She said. "(Y/N)'ll love it."

"I don't doubt it," Missy replied.

(Y/N) suddenly began to stir, and the Doctor and Missy both leaned towards (Y/N) slightly, caught off-guard. (Y/N) began to sniffle, and the Doctor could tell that a crying fit was on the way. But... nothing was wrong. (Y/N) had taken a dose of painkiller only twenty minutes prior, and nothing was going wrong with the Birthing process - both she and Missy had independently checked, in case one or the other of them were wrong. She placed one hand against (Y/N)'s forehead, grimacing when she felt a fever.

"She's feverish," The Doctor said, looking towards Missy. "I'm going to get her into bed. See if you can find anything in the medicine cupboard that might help, okay?" With that, the Doctor stood up, exiting the room with a glance over her shoulder. She tucked the border collie toy in between her chest and (Y/N), hoping that it might provide a little comfort. Avocado continued to tail the pair, trotting along just behind the Doctor.

As soon as they entered the nursery, (Y/N) burst out into a crying fit. The Doctor sat down on the convertible cot-bed, attempting to shush (Y/N). She murmured lyrical Gallifreyan words under her breath - [i]It's okay, it'll be over soon, just a little while longer, this is to make sure you're okay, it's okay, I promise...[/i] She wondered vacantly if (Y/N) would end up dead. If the Birthing process would kill her little girl. She shook off the thought almost immediately, though - if things got that bad, she'd take (Y/N) to Gallifrey for treatment.

The Doctor looked up as Missy entered the room, holding a cup of mixed regeneration energy and painkiller. She immediately reached out to take it, pushing the cup into (Y/N)'s hands, who instinctively started to drink. She let out an exhausted sigh, slumping backwards to lean against the wall. She really was completely and utterly exhausted. Missy sat down on the bed next to her, giving the Doctor a concerned glance.

"It gets better, you know," Missy commented. "After the Birthing stage is over, having an infant energy child is a delight. They're calm, and quiet. Sometimes, they even sleep through the night. You finally don't have to worry about headspace slips any more. It's amazing."

"I don't know if I'll get there," The Doctor mumbled, her voice exhausted. "God, I'm so bloody tired. It's like this'll never end..."

"It will end," Missy said firmly, turning to properly look at the Doctor. "You'll get rested up, and you'll be able to enjoy your baby. I promise. It'll be okay. This is the worst part, I agree, but it's almost over. One day soon, (Y/N) will be fully Gallifreyan. She'll say her first word. She'll take her first step. She'll grow up again, but with you. And it will be amazing, because you love (Y/N)."

The Doctor paused, before nodding, smiling softly. It was true. She did love (Y/N). She completely adored (Y/N), her sweet little (Y/N) who went through so much that she didn't need to go through. One day soon, (Y/N)'s new story would begin. The Doctor's new story would begin. And it will be glorious, because (Y/N) is loved so, so much. She gently placed (Y/N) on her bed, standing up, whilst combing (Y/N)'s hair back from her face.

"Goodnight, (Y/N)," She murmured, crouching down to kiss (Y/N)'s forehead. "I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back in the game, people!!! Woo!!! Any name suggestions for (Y/N)'s cuddly toy? Comment with your ideas!!!
> 
> Comments feed my soul, so does kudos. I hope you enjoyed reading, and have a great day!!! :D


	26. (AUTHOR'S NOTE)

So. I have absolutely nothing to say for myself.

I am really, really, ever so sorry. I haven't updated this fic in months, and for that, I apologise. I apologise so sincerely, and from the very bottom of my heart. However! A new chapter IS coming! Chapter 26 of this fic should be uploaded within a week of this author's note being published!

On a different note... 3000 views. This fic now has over 3000 views. That means that 3000 people have seen this fic, and decided to try it out. And that... Whew! That's absolutely crazy! So thank you all so, so much for reading this dumpster fire of a fanfiction, and supporting me on my journey through writing. :)

Finally, I've put together a survey for people who read fics within the Energy Children Universe series! This is just a quick thing to help me get statistics on my viewers, and help me guide the series in a direction that I feel that my fanbase (For lack of a better word, LOL) would enjoy. Because 3000... that's a damn lot! You can take the survey here: https://forms.gle/UQ5gpuAETLqPpjB79

Thank you all so much for everything! Have a great day! :D


	27. The Second Heartbeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) has a second heartbeat, at long last.

It had been days since the last time anything eventful had happened aboard the Doctor's TARDIS, and thankfully for all three residents, (Y/N) was beginning to recover. It seemed like the Birthing process was finally finished, or at least finishing up. What made this process even smoother was the fact that (Y/N) had become firmly attached to the soft toy that Missy had bought for her. The black-and-white patched plush dog had been dubbed Atlas, and had never left (Y/N)'s side. The Doctor had been forced to prise it out of (Y/N)'s hands many, many times in order to wash it.

However, today was a big, big day for their little family. The Doctor had decided that it was finally safe to check and see if (Y/N) was yet to have a second heartbeat. What made this very awkward for them was the fact that apparently, (Y/N) felt good enough, and had been out of major pain for long enough, in order to start being cheeky again. (Y/N) was up to her old antics once more - the sort of thing that the Doctor found infuriating, and Missy found fit to encourage.

"(Y/N), I am warning you right now, if you don't get back here right now, I'll-" The Doctor was cut off as (Y/N) rounded a corner, going out of sight. She sighed, running after her. Why, oh why had she decided to let (Y/N) walk to the medical bay? God, she should've just carried her. This had been a stupidly bad idea. PSA: Don't let your kid, who's still recovering from a serious illness, run around on your infinite spaceship. Life lessons, kids.

The Doctor was just wondering if she should get some of those toddler reins for (Y/N), but in a larger size, when Missy rounded the corner, herding (Y/N) in front of her. The Doctor sighed with relief, and picked (Y/N) up, placing the younger Time Lady on her hip. She flashed (Y/N) a stern look, as if to say 'Don't ever do that again', before turning to Missy as they continued onwards.

"Sorry 'bout that," The Doctor apologised sheepishly. "She just ran off. I dunno why I decided to let her walk, honestly."

"Here's a tip," Missy replied, walking slightly ahead of them. "Don't ever, ever, let your children walk on their own before they turn at least three. Especially not in the TARDIS. They run off and get lost. It's a huge pain to have to find them."

"Remember that time when (Y/N) ran off whilst we were in Paris in 1876?" The Doctor reminisced, turning a corner. "Rassilon, it was difficult to find her. I think that she gave Gustave Eiffel the idea for the Eiffel Tower, though," She added.

"She did," Missy replied. "Our little sweetheart babbled on for so long about the Eiffel Tower, at least somebody must have heard her."

"She's learning so much every day," The Doctor commented, glancing towards (Y/N), who was half-asleep, leaning her head up against the Doctor's shoulder. "When do you think that she'll learn her first Gallifreyan? Soon, I hope."

"We haven't been talking in Gallifreyan much around her," Missy pointed out. "She isn't going to magically learn an entire language overnight, you know. Especially not one as complicated as Gallifreyan."

"I know that!" The Doctor huffed. "I just hope that she won't end up being illiterate for most of her childhood. I was illiterate for most of my childhood, and it wasn't really very fun at all."

"You've been illiterate for most of your life," Missy teased in a dry manner.

"Hey!" The Doctor jokingly retorted.

The pair turned the corner into the medical bay, and the Doctor almost immediately plopped (Y/N) down on one of the hospital beds that the TARDIS had conjured up. She began preparing for the procedure - at this stage of development, (Y/N)'s second heartbeat would probably be too weak, and definitely too overpowered by her first, much stronger heartbeat, that a stethoscope wouldn't be nearly enough to hear it. Therefore, a special device had been invented by the Time Lords in order to detect the first signs of a second heartbeat - the very creatively named Second Heartbeat Monitor, or SHM.

The SHM was a small black device that looked a lot like a tablet from Earth. It had a red, laser-like contraption on the back, which was held to the chest of whoever the Gallifreyan child was, and a screen on the front. The SHM was also equipped with loudspeakers which amplified the second heartbeat, and the second heartbeat only, by a significant amount.

As (Y/N) sat cross-legged on the hospital bed, clutching Atlas to her chest, the Doctor began to set up the SHM. Gently, she moved (Y/N)'s hands and arms aside, before pulling up the fabric of (Y/N)'s shirt, settling the Second Heartbeat Monitor over (Y/N)'s heart. Or, more accurately, hearts. The Doctor began to fiddle with the settings, ensuring that everything was present and correct, before eventually deciding to just sit back, and wait and see what happened.

Eventually, to both the Doctor and Missy's slightly surprise, and complete and utter delight, a soft, pulsating noise began to echo through the room. The Doctor paused for a moment, taking the Second Heartbeat Monitor away from (Y/N)'s chest. The noise stopped. The Doctor returned the device to its position against (Y/N)'s chest, right above where her second heart should be, and the noise began again. The Doctor squealed with delight, and dropped the SHM onto the bed, bringing (Y/N) in for a tight hug.

"It's happened! It's happened!" The Doctor laughed in glee, squishing (Y/N) even more tightly than what she normally did. "She's done it! She's got a second heartbeat!" She looked up her shoulder, a few tears of joy beginning to escape from her eyes. "Missy! Missy, she has a second heartbeat! (Y/N) has a second heartbeat!"

"Indeed, she does," Missy replied softly, giving (Y/N) a look that could only be described as pure pride and joy. It was clear that although she wasn't showing it in quite such an enthusiastic manner, she too was brilliantly happy that (Y/N) had grown her second heart. The Doctor released (Y/N) from her tight hug, and (Y/N) brought Atlas up to her mouth, giving the plush toy's ear a gentle chew. She didn't quite understand why her Mama and Auntie were so excited, but it must be something good, right?

"I think that it's time for ice-cream," The Doctor declared, picking up (Y/N). "This is a special occasion!" She called out to Missy as the trio left the medical bay. It was completely correct - this was a special occasion. Quite possibly, it was one of the most special occasions that there could be. This marked the beginning of a new era of growth. A second childhood for (Y/N), and a first parenthood for the Doctor. Either way, it was going to be fantastic for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1,163 words of cute fluffiness. Enjoy!
> 
> Anyway! The poll that I posted last week showed that you guys wanted a Discord server and a Tumblr page! I haven't set up the Tumblr yet, but here's the Discord! Follow the rules, and enjoy! :D https://discord.gg/PSgBfR7
> 
> Thank you for reading this chapter, and have a great day! :D


	28. It Was Inevitable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was inevitable that an event like this would happen eventually.
> 
> AKA, the Doctor and Missy go on a quest to find a lost cuddly toy.

Of course this was going to happen. It was always going to be the case that eventually, somehow, something would go wrong, and (Y/N) would throw a fit. It was inevitable. However, the sheer problem of the matter was the fact that neither the Doctor, nor Missy, had anticipated this inevitable event, which left them stranded on a space station with a fussy baby, all because (Y/N) had dropped Atlas somewhere and lost him.

The trio had been out buying new clothes for (Y/N) - her old baby clothes had worn out far too quickly - and, to make things a little smoother, the Doctor had allowed (Y/N) to take Atlas along. Atlas was a Border Collie stuffed toy that Missy had bought for (Y/N), and had quickly become a favourite toy for the young Gallifreyan. Of course, the problem was favourite toys was the fact that they did tend to get lost very, very easily.

"I told you that we should've made her leave it in the TARDIS!" Missy snapped, frustrated. In their haste to get out of the public eye, they'd practically dragged (Y/N) into a public bathroom. They had been taking up the mother and baby stall for at least twenty minutes at this point.

"She would've cried her eyes out the whole time if I'd made her leave Atlas behind, and you know it!" The Doctor retorted. She sighed, cradling a still-bawling (Y/N) on her hip.

"She's crying right now," Missy pointed out in an extremely non-helpful manner.

"I can see that, you dolt," The Doctor snapped. She hadn't exactly meant to snap at Missy - it was just that they'd been trying to deal with this meltdown for at least half an hour at this point, and she was pretty much at her wit's end. There was no real way to find Atlas again amongst the miles and miles of shopping centre that they'd trekked through, and Missy wasn't exactly being helpful about the situation.

Finally, somebody banged loudly on the door, yelling inside. Apparently, somebody else wanted to use the stall. The Doctor sighed heavily, glancing down at (Y/N). She'd stopped crying somewhat, so it should be okay to go outside. Deep down inside, the Doctor couldn't help but feel so, incredibly cruel to dislike (Y/N)'s behaviour. Of course she was crying - Atlas was important to her. Taking a deep breath, the Doctor pulled (Y/N) a little closer to her body, and hurriedly vacated the stall and the public bathrooms in turn.

Now that they were out of that situation, both the Doctor and Missy knew what they had to do. They each confirmed their separate thoughts with a steeled look at one another, out of pure annoyance for what was to come. The only real way to properly calm (Y/N) down and prevent future tantrums would be to, somehow, find and rescue Atlas. The problem was, they didn't exactly know how to do that. It wasn't exactly like they could walk around putting up lost posters for a cuddly toy.

"Maybe we could do that," Missy suggested, as if she had read the Doctor's mind. Come to think of it, she probably had. Time Lords were a psychic species, after all.

"No, we can't put up lost posters, Missy," The Doctor sighed. "You should know that. You've done this parenting thing before, by yourself. Are you honestly telling me that none of your kids ever lost a cuddly toy, or anything like that?"

"No, they were all far too smart," Missy mused. "The closest that I ever got to that was my second child dropping a few pieces of Lego under the TARDIS console, but it was an easily recoverable situation."

"Lucky you," The Doctor muttered under her breath, obviously frustrated.

Once their little exchange was finished, the pair of them got to work. Their only real option was to go back and thoroughly search all of the shops that they had visited during their trip, so they did just that. Their frantic rifling through shop displays and racks of clothing must have been extremely unsettling to both shop assistants and fellow shoppers, as both the Doctor and Missy were stopped several times and asked what they were doing. Every time, they quickly explained the situation, and continued on their quest.

Finally, Atlas was found. The Doctor had discovered the black and white soft toy in the lost property box of a children's clothes store several blocks back from where (Y/N) had first realised that her favourite cuddly toy was, in fact, missing. To say that (Y/N) was incredibly happy that Atlas had been found was honestly an understatement. There had been a sudden halt of the meltdown that had begun the whole expedition to find Atlas, followed by many happy squeals and giggles of delight. To say that both the Doctor and Missy were incredibly pleased with this result was also very much an understatement.

Once their quest had been brought to an end, the trio of Gallifreyans left to return to the TARDIS. The Doctor still had (Y/N) tucked carefully against her body, with (Y/N) happily clutching Atlas. Meanwhile, Missy had been left to carry everything that they'd bought during the trip - before (Y/N) had thrown a complete fit over losing Atlas, of course. Missy was honestly starting to regret agreeing to help the Doctor raise (Y/N). Raising a human child was frustrating enough, but raising a Time Lord? Absolute Hell on Earth.

The Doctor plopped (Y/N) down on the floor of the console room, too exhausted to bother bringing the younger Time Lord through to her designated playroom. She leaned up against the TARDIS console, blearily watching (Y/N) play with Atlas, babbling incoherently the entire time.

"I am never, ever going to risk a tantrum like that, ever again," The Doctor announced firmly.

"I was hoping that you'd say that," Missy muttered. "I don't want to deal with something like that ever again, either."

"Then do we have an agreement?" The Doctor asked. "From now on, every time we go out, we'll both watch (Y/N) very, very carefully, even more carefully than we already watch her, in order to make sure that she doesn't end up losing Atlas?"

"God, yes," Missy agreed immediately, staring down at (Y/N), who was still happily playing with Atlas. "Please, let's just do that from now on."

Of course, an event like this had always been inevitable, and now, both of them knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so ashamed of myself. Well... enjoy this chapter, whoever's left around here. I'm so, so sorry for accidentally abandoning you all.
> 
> Any extra ideas for upcoming chapters are very much welcome.


End file.
